The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-25

the German occupation of Russia i
completed.
From the viewpoint of the allies i
II felt here, the situation caused bv
the German advance, into Russian terri
tory is as bad as possible and demon
strates that the United States and ner
partners in the conflict must under
take military arrangement on an eycn
larger scale than ever before with fine
probability that the war will continue
longer than had been expected b.
many persons III this country.
There Is no certainty that the Ger
mans mediate the occupation of Petro.
grad, but the conviction is growing
here that this is. there purpose, for 30,
litical as well as military reasons. Pos.
session of Petfograd, it was asserted
would mean virtually the overthrow of
the Bolshevist authority, as that CITY is
the centre of the MaximalistI power and
the seat of government With the city
III the hands of the Germans the Rol-
shevist authority would probably be UNI
able to maintain a hold upon military
or civil functions.
Petrograd in the hands of the Ger
mans, in the opinion of some authori-
ties, would enable them to set mn a
government under German protection,
and this government might be com
posed OF members of the imperial fam
lily, If the deposed ear were beyond
the reach Of the invaders.
The German advance into Russia is
expected to operate to prevent the cor
tlnuance Of the shipping of relief sur
plies, for the present at least, from the
United States to kola for distribution.
i'll European Russia. Likewise, the
continued sending Of provisions from
this country to Rumania is threatened
Some military experts said that the
further the German lines penetrated in.
TO Russia the greater would be the
number Of troops required to maintain
them, as the advance necessitated .
widening OF the front, and without be
ing strengthened they would become 80
attenuated as to be dangerous for the
Germans themselves. One officer. see
ing the political possibilities resulting
from the seemingly complete collapse OF
Russia, said:
IT would not be surprising if Ger.
many soon will express a willingness to
conclude peace on terms that she would
make Ii appear to be to the interests
OF the allies TO accept, provided Ger
many be given carte blanche to treat
with Russia as she pleases 4 peace on
such basis though, would leave Ger
many very much stronger than she was
at the commencement of the war. AID
greater menace than ever botn 70 the
peace and to the free institutions Of
the world.
such peace would empower Cor
many Ia annex. first, the Baltic prov
inees which would restrict Russia $ in
transitional communications more than
at any time since Peter the Great, ard
plant the seeds OF fresh diseorda be-
tween tho maritime powers. .>ucl. 4
peace would drive to the VIEW borders
II Eufone and leave her IN Asiatic
rather than a European nation.
'lt would also make the Scandina
Wan countries economic dependents o.
| Germany because of the MASTER Ger
many would directly acquire OF the Bal
| tie and the channels to the NORTH sea
| And, of course the route TO the. east
! 10 the Balkans and via Turkey would
not be interferel with in the least. The
| allies and America never could assrn nj
| y Z peace. inYQlying such great dan
| gers to the future peace of the w0yIi y
| \ condition of this sort would II can
| that the allies would be obliged Il
| make greater military enaeavors L
| bring about German defeat.