Mexico Missouri message., 1918-04-04
German Occupation Of Odessa In
creaSes Teutonic Menace
in East.
new ROAD TO india OPENED
President Wilson, in Message to Rus
sian Soviets, Issues Def to Kaiser
American Troops in Many
Raids.

Announcement that German troops
have occupied Odessa is one of the
most significant of recent develop
ments. This action by Germany, in
spite OF the conclusion Of the so-called
peace with Russia, was expected ul
timately, but ii came somewhat as a
surprise because of the fact that little
had been heard of the Germans and
Austrians in that region.
The occupation of Odessa. the great
est Russian port on the Black sea, is
of the greatest importance for several
reasons. First, II gives the Germans
control of the center of a great agri-
cultural section. the products of which
are desired to feed the hungry peoples
Of the central empires.
With Odessa safely in their hands,
the Teutons will have access to vast
stores of wheat which can be trans
ported overland or by sea to points
where 1t can be readily shipped into
Austria and Germany.
But the capture of Odessa will mean
something mOre--an advance over the
route to Persia and Atghanlstan, and
possibly India, which is to be followed
now that the British have severed the
famous Berlin and Bdgdad route to the
East.
The passing of Odessa into German
control will make possible the COM
pletiOn of the German military line
across Russia from the Baltic at
Narvo (Q1 ynilac from, Datro1ro1N tn
the Black sea. 1t gives the Germans
control not only of the resources of
the Ukraine, but of the bulk of Rus
sia's grain stores and of the vast ex-
port trade of Russia's southern prov
inces.
Control Of this territory opens a
route for a German land drive into
the far East. by way of Batum. in
Trans-Caucasia (Which was taken
from Russia at Brest-Litovsk and CIV
en- 10 Turkey, Baku. across the
Caspian sea to Krasnovodsk, in Turke-
stan, and through Merv TO the border
of Afghanistan, thus threatening the
Indian empire.
Another route Is through Teheran.
across central Persia to Ispahan and
thence to ShiraZ, to the Indian from
tier, spelling equal menace to Brit
aims far Eastern possessions.
The carrying out by the TeutOnic
powers of their plans for conquest in
the East brought from President Will
son move which was declared to be
one of the boldest made by any gov
| Prnment since the war began. This
| action was In the form of a message
dispatched to the Russian congress of
| soviets in session at Moscow. In this
message President Wilson pledged the
! power of the United States to secure
a free Russia. He declared that the
United States "will avail itself of ev-
cry opportunity TO secure for Russia
once more complete sovereignty and in
I dependenceIn her own affairs and full
restoration to her great role in the
life of Europe and the modern world y
! President Wilson's message was re
garded as a second declaration of war
"a declaration of war on the German
government until it is compelled tO
relinquish it's hold on Russia. The
president proposed, in effect, that the
United States and its allies shall fight
until Russia regains unimpaired sov,
ereignty and independence. The mes
sage was also regarded as a direct re
ply to the recent address on peace
terms made by Count Won Hertling, the
German chancellor
| -H-
Reports from Jassy tell how the i'm
perialistic spirit OF the central em
pires is showing itself in growing de
mHnds for concessions by Roumania