The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-16
The War for the Week

Two events divided interest in the
war dispatches Of the last weelk-the
ever present Russia puzzle, and the
participation Of American artillery in
an extensive and successful French
raid, on q part Of the front some
distance from the regular American
sector.
The new position Of the American
artillery is in the big plain Of the
Champagne. 1t can readily be found
on any war map Of the western front.
Readers will recall how the line drops
almost straight south from the North
sea to Iaon. The first bend to the
east comes at Laon and there is an
other at Rheims. From Rheims the
line runs directly east to Verdun.
About half way along this sector is
the village Of Tahure, which Is men
, toned in the dispatches telling Of the
raid.
From Vsrdun the line turns direct
ly south again to st. Mihiel and then
slopes away to the southeast. A
short distance southeast Of St MIhiel
is the regular American sector. As
the crow flies. the scene Of the en-
gagement OF the American artillery
is fully eighty miles from the regular
American sector, and following the
trench line. it would be nearly double
that distance.
The regular American sector lies
directly on the line drawn from the
important German city Of Metz, in
Lorraine, and the important French
city Of Toul.
The American artillery probably
will not be permanently stationed at
the scene Of the recent raid. The
artillery units are being worked in
with the French artillery for train
ing, and they may be moved to some
other part Of the 'front.' probably to
the American sector.
The raid was the most extensive
and the most successful that has
been staged for many weeks, and the
American gunners were given high
praise.
The Russian Situation.
Through the many ramihcations Of
the Russian situation, there is one
fact that should always be kept in
mind. When 1t is forgotten, the
whole Russian problem seems a hope |
less muddle. When it is kept clearly |
in mind, there is a semblance Of |
consistency to the stand OF the
whether the reader has
any sympathy with their aims or
not. That fact has been repeated
many times in this column, but Il
won't do any harm to repeat it again,
for the developments Of the last week
have been absolutely in line with IL.
The fact is that the Bolsheviki do
not seek to establish a national gov
eminent with boundary lines. They
are aiming at a universal rule Of the
socalled proletariat, with the world
the boundary lines. They are fight
Ing the middle and upper classes in
their own country as well as the mid
ole and upper classes of Germany.
They claim to be the allies OF the
Of Germany, as well as
with those OF England, France and
Russia It is a cross division instead
Of a vertical division.
Trotzky and Lenine announced
heir policy Of mo war but no peace
treaty. They refused to fight against
he workingmen Of Germany and
Austria, but refused to make peace
With the ruling classes Of these two
1t was wholly logical II
zou accept their standpoint.
Puzzled the Germans.
The standpoint seems to have been
ncomprehensible to the German /
liplomats.> They cannot disassoclate
he German rulers and the German II
they all comprise the /
The Russian step Is