Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-28
lFrom the New York sbn

tFrom the New York SUM
"a mel who 4re ruling or trying
to u Russia today are fntellieen1
enough to know that . change OF SOW.
men OF even a change in the
form Of government. does not free, a
nation from obligations internationally
contracted:
Russia. therefore. will be held re.
sponsiole Tor a shameful betrayal OF
contract Of which she was a princi.
p beneficiary. IL she negotiates with
the central powers a peace to which
her former-allies in this war are no,
~consenting parties.
That will be the verdict Of her be-
trayed and %grievously injured allies
will likewise be the verdict of i'm.
partial history. The shame and the
disgrace will endure as long as the
name of Russia is remembered by
mankind.
The violation Of a solemn treaty
engagement, technically as binding
under present conditions as it was on
Ithe day Russia undertook to stand
by her allies. appears even more in
famous when considered morally with
regard to the circumstances of the
wars inception.
Turn once again to the familiar
chapter of origins:
Australia Hungary, with the backing
OF the German government, used the
Sarajevo incident to launch an ulti-
matum to Serbia in terms intentions
ally impossible of acceptance, and on
July % declared war.
Russia,s which had been mobilizing
since the beginning of July, pro-
ceeded to range her power behind
Serbia. On July 26. the Russian min
lister for foreign affairs had informed
the German ambassador at st. Peters
burg that If Austria annexed bits Of
Serbia territory Russia. would not re-
main Indifferent. On July 80 NJ.
Sazonoff told the British and French
ambassadors at st. Petersburg that he
had absolute proof that Germany was
making military and naval prepar-
atoms against Russia, more particu-
|larly in the direction of the Gulf. of
Finland. Great Britain was then
urging Russia not to precipitate a
crisis. Germany demanded that Rus
sta should demobilize within twenty
four hours. On August 2 Russian
troops were crossing the German
frontier.
Frances obligations to Russia were
loyalty fulfilled Forced by the Ger
advance on her own frontiers,
she opened hostilities in support 81
her ally.
Britain. through Sir Edward Grey.
was meanwhile working tenaciously
for mediation. AS late as July 81
the Belgian minister at st. Peters,
burg reported to his chief at Brussels
that the instructions Of the British
ambassador were ito explain to st.
Petersburg that if Russia desires
Great Britain's support she must care
fully avoid even the appearance Of
being aggressive in the present state
of things" !,
Though it be true that the general
Russian mobilization was provoked
by German threats and maneuvers, it
Is likewise true that Russia's attitude
at the beginning OF the war was di-
rectly responsible for the entrance Of
France, and afterward Of Great
Britain, and afterward of the United
States; and that Russia, as a govern
ment under formal agreement with
her original allies to conclude no sep
arate peace and under unparalleled
obligations to the United States as
well as to France and Great Britain
for assistance in her WI fight against
the Tcuton powers, is now arranging
with the enemy of all a separate
armistice expressly designed Y"to. fa-
cilitate the conduct Of peace negotia-
TONS" N ~ I'll es3sSa
-~..II,s thXsd FRI shistasys an INSTANCE of
n%ationals tEeason comparable TO that
insswhich benine ahdsTrotsky bAre, as
suming today to involve the whole
great and noble Russian people?