Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-02-28
which the German parties are Sower-
less"

Ia
According to an American correspon.
dent in France, the peace program of
Hindenburg, Ludendorff and the crown
prince, forced on Won Kuehlmann and
the emperor, includes the extending of
the East Prussian frontier, making an
autonomous protectorate Of the Baltic
provinces. Remembering Belgium and
annexing or otherwise controlling the
Briey-Longwy Industrial region of
northern France. The question of
Poland apparently is left to Austria.
1T
Meanwhile Trotzky and his bolshe-
vik comrades have handed Germany a
hard nut to crack. Flatly refusing to
sign a peace treaty, they declared the
al with the central powers, so far as
Russia Is concerned, has ended. They
decline to fight longer against the
workers and peasants of Germany and
Austria. simultaneously, the complete
rehabilitation of the Russian armies
was ordered, although 1t was reported
that this order was Immediately Jul
fernandez and that the reorganization
Of the Red guard was begun. At first
the people Of Germany and Austria
hailed this great victory" with extrav.
agant joy, but in a few hours they and
their governments began to wonder
what 1t would avail them. They cannot
obtain treaty recognition for their in
tended annexations on the east front,
and they are far from sure that it will
be safe to To- to the west oil or ear
ly all their troops. LAS the bolshevik
leaders long ago admitted, the Teutons
can easily push a long way into Rus
sia, but what ultimate good will that
do them?
The bolshevikl always have main.
tained that they are operating. not for
the benefit of Russia or any other ma
ton, but for the workers and peasants
Of oil nations, and they are persistently
continuing the spreading Of their prop
uganda all over the world. Whatever
may be the real motives Of Lenine,
Trotzkye ct nj they appear to have the
Prussiun %autocrats up in the air just
now.
Ukraine, n of the independent gov
ernments into which Russia has split
has presented a complication that may
be more serious for the allied cause
than the quitting Of the b%olsheviki. II
has signed q separate peace treaty witt
the central powers which opens to then
the possibility of obtaining immense
stores Of food from that rich grair
country. However, us pointed out II
these columns some time ago. the trans
p%0rtation system Of that part of Rus
sla Is so utterly inadequate that sup
plies can be got out only extremel,
slowly, and besides. the crops hav,
been sadly neglected eve since the wa
began. The treaty gave Ukraine quit,
n slice Of Poland, which aroused tn,
Poles to bitter opposition.
Ia
Germany during the week attempte,
to put the screws on Roumania, dc
handing that 1t accept peace term
within "a hours or suffer the conse
quences. But the RoumnnIans defe,
the kaiser, declaring they still had ur
shaken confidence in their allies an
would continue to fight to the finisl
Their armies now occupy all Of Bess,
rabia, where they have repeatedly de
feated the bOlsheviki troops. II IL b,
lieved they were nerved to take thi
determined stand by prospects Of n
allied offensive In the Balkans whic
they. might aid by attacking the Bu
g~arians and Austrians from the nortl
There are increasing evidences thf
such 4 drive. to cut of Turkey and r.
duce Bulgaria, Is contemplated. A ne
Roumnnian cabinet Is headed by Gel
eral Avarescu.
I'D
In southern Finland, where the re
guards are still holding out against Il
government. horrible conditions pr
vail. Murders and all other crimes ri
committed openly anl the bOlshevil
nrs running alh,ick. Sweden still FEM
to violate neutrality and send help
the government. Recent reports fro
Stockholm said certain Red guard len
crs had asked General Mannerheim
consider peace negotiations.
-@--
There IL little 10 sny Of the Itnllt
front except Tint the fighting there WI
mninly BY the artillery and ayinto
nnd TINT neither side had amy mark,
advantage.
~
Seeininely the stage IL sct for e.
Hnany's supreme MILITARY effort Oh 1,
west front. and Field Marxhnl y.
woyrsch, the invader Of Poland
$40 i0