New-York tribune., 1917-11-27
The German Hand in Petrograd

There Is just one thing that II Is appro-
pirate to say at this time about the situa-
top in Petrograd. Whether Trotzky and
Lchine are in German pay or not, they are
aerving German ends deliberately, and all
that they say and all that they do de-
sesve to be treated as a detail in German
propaganda.
The latest exposure of Allied war aims
is 100 contemptibly Insignificant to war
rant discussion. No one has ever at
tempted to conceal the fact that the French
desired Alsace-Lorraine. None but Ger
man sympathizers and agents have ever
endeavored to dispute the moral claim of
France to her lost provinces. Over and
over again French Prime Ministers,
French statesmen and French citizens
have declared the unalterable determine
ton of France to repossess what was once
hets. France did not precipitate this war
TO regain Alsace-Lorraine. France was
attacked by Germany brutally and with
out semblance of reason. Since the war
has reopened the question of Alsace-Lor-
raine, France purposes to regain her prov
inces and every American should, as
most Americans do, desire to see this ac-
complished.
The purpose of the Lenine exposure in
Petrograd was identical with that Of the
German Chancellor, who the other day
referred to the same documents. 1t was
an effort to establish in the minds or
americans primarily and of the civilian
population of belligerent nations generally
the idea that the war was an imperialistic
venture on the part of France and that
the French were seeking to take German
territory to which they had no moral
claim. as the Germans were seeking to
! take French territory to which they had no
moral claim. Lenine is seeking to manu-
facture material that can be used against
chr allies in this country and elsewhere.
Such material is worthless upon examina-
ton, but the effort is TO present it to
public which will not analyze it.
The desire of the French people to re-
deem that portion of their country stolen
from them by Germany in 1871, the desire
Of the Italian people to acquire Italian
population in the Trentino and in Trieste
have nothing in them which 1t is even
necessary TO explain. The consent Of the
governed would give Alsace-Lorraine to
. France, Trieste and the Trentino to Italy.
The will Of the people should decide the
allegiance Of these provinces.
But the question now goes far beyond
this specific evidence Of the German con-
troll Of Lenine, Trotzky and the rest Of the
Bolshevik. Their period Of power will
be brief, their capacity for harm will be
limited il 4. Is recognized at the outset
that they are serving German ends and
that henceforth. so long as they control in
Petrograd, It will be the voice of Germany
that speaks.
AS long as this Bo.sheviki outfit don't
mates Petrograd the Allied governments
should ignore al communications ad-
dressed to them by these German agents
they should decline all assistance and
Break of all relations. Lenine is as much
y IN enemy Of the Allied cause as Hinden-
burg. Trotzky is Just as much the enemy
Of democracy-of real democracy-as
Ferdinand Of Bulgaria, and not less the
servant Of Germany.
The words that come from Petrograd
now mean nothing save as they are de-
signed to serve German ends. We shall
have more and more protestations Of de-
nlocracy, Of liberty, Of fraternity from
these tools Of Berlin. We shall have a
moro and more industrious campaign TO
injure the Allied cause by supplying false
Information, partial information, and by
giving an utterly false appearance TO in
formation accurate in itself. This is a
part Of the German game. By employing
II the Germans have already disorganized
Russia. By employing II they have also
temporarily seduced a portion Of the Allied
army and public. This is the last and
roost insidlous of all German offences. II
u the final effort 70 break down the will