The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-11

lot EOIuUAELE u8M1DD1tAAaAlOH u 1AAS
Russia Out OF War.
Russia steps formally out of the
war by act Of the Bolshevik govern
ment which seized the reins of pow
er in Petrograd last November and
almost Immediately opened peace
negotiations with the central en-
pires. The authority of this gov
ernment seems virtually unquestion-
ed at present in northern Russia and
the Teutonic powers have already
assured the cessation or even nom
snal hostilities along virtually all
the remainder of the original long
line in the east by signing a peace
with the Ukraine and isolating Ru-
mania
ALTHOUGH cutting little figure in
the war for nnarlY q year past. hus-
zHiass great, indeed YltaA part N the
conflict comes Eorcibiy to mind as
the circumstances leading up 10 her
exit are reviewed. Becoming bell
aigerent on August 1, 1914, through
Germany's declaration or war upon
her. her troops were soon sWeeplhs
through East Prussia, creating q
diversion which hampered the Ger
mans in their first dash through
Belgium and upon Paris. Though
tlisastrOusly defeated by HindenDurg
AT Tannenberg she rallied quickly
and by winter was hammering
again at the German borders ana
her great armies, over-running Aus
frian territory in GaHcia. were at
the crests of the Carpathians and
threatening an invasion OF Hungary.
It took the bulk Of the Austrian
armies and q large proportion or
campafgntng in 1915 to break RUS
zia's hold on Gaiicia. drive her out
Of Pola / and the lower Baltic ter
Titory and force her armies under
Grand Duke Nicholas back to the
line of which Brest- -Litovsk, the
scene of the recent peace negotia-
tfons. formed the keystone. Beaten
hack but not vet disorganized, she
fought through 1916. creating havoc
among the Austrian armies in Vol
hynia and Galicia and in Asia Minor,
driving the Turks out Of virtually all
Turkish Armenia
At End of Tether.
The opening OF last year, how
ever. found Russia, under the Ola
bureaucratic regime virtually at the
end OF her tether. Her oppressed,
warworn people, were ripe for the
revolution, the latent flames Of
which German prOpaRandists had
glxfllfully famed, and in March. 1917
came the crash, the deposition Of
EFmDeror Nicholas, and the forma-
ton Of the frst provisional govern
ment. The conservative element
among the revolutioniBts first held
sway and the determination Of Rus
Bia to remain In the war was fire.
iquentIY affirmed. Indeed under
Kerensly as minister OF war; her
armies in July, 1917, began an Of
Tanwsva in VoIhynia and Galicia
xyhich was in the full tide or success
under General Kornilon when the
fetal disease Of disaffection among
har troops. which for some time had
been manifest. broke out epidemi- |
na1ly and stopped the efIort dead. |
Since August, last Russia has ng-
T,red in the great world conflict as
= military factor only by reason
that she stfH held numbers OF Ger
man and Austrian troops on her
frontiers. awaitin the forces or ais
organization within to bring ABOUT
her Anal disinteRration. This proc /
eaz. str1lxgled against in vain by
as premier through the
summer and early fall Of last year,
was constantly accelerated by Vir-
aue Of the divided authority set up
AZ Petrozrad. The council OF Sold
.sers and WorIzmen, representing the
prolstariat and claiming virtually
slrprsma power, Systematically an
ea9ouszed the constituted government
cIsnorang for the opening OF peace
ue9ot3ations and finally in Novem-
Der last formally took over power
- had long in fact exercised.
AFmistiee Declared.
The rest Is comparatively recent
hfstOTy. Under Lenine and TrOtzl1y
- aruaistfcs was brought about on
All Ruegtan fronts on December
and peace negotiations with the
cenfral powers were opened at
Brasf-Iitovsk on December IS. The
central empires agreed to adhere to
the general principles Of no anneNa-
lions. no fndeuanities and Belf-deteF-
mination OF peoples. and there was
held open to the entente powers the
opportunity Of joining in the negotia-
hons and have them led up to
general peace
No favor was found for this
proposition among the allied nations.
however, the good faith Of the Ger
mans IN particular an making this
otter bazng doubled. This doubt was
1aeer found hv ths Russians them
selves 70 Be well founded and Ger