Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-29
Review OF Fourth Year Of War;

dated its positions by Withdrawing
from the Rhaetian mountains to the
Asiago plateau and. assisted by the
French reinforcements brought to
that battlefront. stood at bay.
Russian Collapse
Events in the meanwhile had been
moving swiftly in Russia. On No !
vember /. while the offensive against
Italy was under way Alexander +. !
Kerensky, then the Russian premier.
announced that Russia was worn out
by the war and that The Allies must |
shoulder the burden thenceforwari.
Seven days later Kerensky was de |
posed by the Bolsheviki. The fall |
and flight of kerensky was the sig |
nal for Germany and Austria to enter !
into peace negotiations with Russia. |
On November 80 the Bolsheviki an !
nounced that Russia was out of the !
war and proposed that all the Allies !
join in negotiations for an arms !
tice.
Russian and German representa- |
tives met at Brest Litovsk on Dec. !
%. and terms of peace We're ex-
changed. No progress was made |
with the negotiations, and the con-
ference was broken up on Jan. II. In !
the meantime. a new republic hal !
sprung from the side of Russia. It
was Ukraine. a territory extending
along the Rumanian and Galiciaa |
frontier from the Black Sea nortA-
ward TO Cholm. in ancient Poland F!
With this republic. the Central En-
, pires made peace late in January
The failure of the Bolshevik au-
thorities to reach any agreement
with the Germans resulted in the re-
newal of hostiities on Feb Is. and
the German armies moved forward
once more.
6rest litovsk Treaty
rms brought about renewal of
the peace negotiations, and at Bres:-
Lltovsk the Bolsh wiki were given to
understand that Germany would re-
ognlze the kingdom of Poland. the
republic of Ukraine, the independence
OF Finland, and the separate govern
mental status of Lithuania. Esthonia
ana LIv0nia. Turkey, as an aIly of
the Central Powers, was given A great
area to the east Of the Black sea in
Guiding the regions Of Batum, Kars
and Erivan.
WIN the announcement of the final
signing of the treaty between the
Boisheviki and Germany, the Allies
save Up hope that Russia would re.
nam in the conflict. and at once thew !
began to sire CITIZEN their Inns
against the coming Of the great Ger
man offensive by which Berlin and
Vienna hoped to force the Entente
nations to make peace
Rumania Capitaiates
With the greater part of her terri
Tory occupied by the Germans. AIS |
TRANS and Bulgariaus. With her gov
eminent driven from Bucharest to
Jassy and with the Russian Bolshe- ,
WIKI openly hostile toward her. Pu- |
mania found herself in critical
situation. tuma man troops during
February and March advanced Into !
Bessarabia. a part Of the new Re 7
public of Ukraine. but they were /
hemmed in by the enemy forces and
obliged to withdraw. At last on
May S. Rumania signed treaty of /
peace with the Central Powers |
By this treaty Rumania lost the !
province Of Dobrudja, on the south !
SIDE OF the Danube, which she had !,
received after the Balkan war. and
agreed to 8 rectitication of her west
ern frontier. Economic conc assjc MS !
also we're made under pressure from
the Teutonic Alliance. /
Peace Tentat.ves |
The period between December /. .
1917 and March l, 1918, may be /,
called the period Of peace tentatiyes. .
1t Is true that before the end of the !
summer Pope Benedict made an ap |
peal to the warrinc nations to enter
INTO peace negotiations, the basis
Tor pourparlers being the restoration |
OF Belgium and Serbia and the re-
turn TO Germany Of her lost colonies
rms appeal. made on August g, was
answered by President Wilson on
August %. when the President an
nounced that the German govern
ment as constituted could not he he
lieved and that the United States
was ready TO enter into negotiations
they desired peace ana when they
'p'Nc tiiiOue,ii any dLIHOrltS winch
would he representatives of them.
The German answer to the Pope's
appeal reached the Vatican on Sen
TENDER Il. II expressed hope that
further warfare could be averted
through the good offices of the POPE,
hut declined to enter into any en-
Sagement to meet what the Allies
had declared o be their minimum
war aims.
German Peace CHer
German efforts tc secure a neace
which would leave to Germany all
the fruits of her victory gaired
through Russia's collapse, and with
Belgium and large portions of France
to be used as pawns a. the council
table, began with the address of
Count Czernin. then Austrian foreign
minister. at Brest- Litovsk on De-
cember IS. The keynote Of the ad-
dress was general peace without an
nexations and indemnities.
On January s, President Wilson.
addressing Congress. said that the
nited States must know for whom
the German rulers were speak,ng.
The address was a complement to an
address made on January 5 by
David Lloyd George, the British ,.
Premier
TO these addresses reply was