New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-12
forward" Predicts
Trotzky-Lenine
Policy Will Fail
Now Face Same Situation
in Which Kerensky
Was Overcome

"The Jewish Daily Forward" of which
Leon Trotzky was a contributor during
his stay in this country, has printed the
following editorial, indicating the prob
able failure of the Trotzky-Lenine pol
icy:
long as they were in the opposition.
They became popular among the masses,
thanks to their energetic demands for
an early peace and the distribution OF
land among the peasants.
"By their agitation for these two de-
mands they made an impression upon
the masses that the Kerensky govern,
ment was opposed to an early peace and
TO the distribution of land among the
peasants.
"At the present, however. when. in
stead Of being in the opposition, Lenine
end Trotzky have themselves assumed
control of the government, they will
have TO carry out their programme IN
stead Of criticising and melting to re-
volt. Will they themselves and their
government not find themselves in the
same position in which Kerensky was
situated?
"Trotzky declared few days ago
that he and his comrades are opposed
TO separate peace and that they de-
sire a general peace. BY what means,
however, can such a peace be brought
about?
"The plan of Lenine and Trotzky IL
to provoke 4 revolution in the German
army; and if q revolution would break
out in Germany, they believe. the war
could Immediately be ended. But how
can a revolution be brought about in
Germany? How can the German army
/ be revolutionized? II Trotzky has no
| other means at his disposal than to
spread revolutionary proclamations
among the German soldiers with the
I help of aeroplanes, the proximity of a
revolution in Germany is very doubtful.
But what will Trotzky do IL the
/ German army will not revolt, if no rev.
/ olution will break out in Germany? In
that case, says Trotzky, the Russian
soldiers will know that they are fight
/ ing for the salvation of the Russian
revolution, and they will fight like
lions.
GAS long as Trotzky had been in the
opposition this was a beautiful ideal.
Since, however, Trotzky is now a mem
Der of the government, he will discover
the sad reality with which Kerensky
had been confronted.
at does not seem that the German
amy is going TO revolt, even if it is
flooded with revolutionary proclama-
tons. And if the German army will
not revolt and there will be no revolu-
ton in Germany, in that case the war
will have to be continued. In that case,
too, the early peace will not come, and
the Russian soldiers, the Russian work.
men and the Russian peasants will be
just as disappointed with the Trotzky
government as they had been with the
Kerensky government.
"Also, Kerensky succeeded for a while
( to inspire the Russian army TO con-
tnue the war in the name Of the rev.
olutiOn. But the exhausted and hungry
Russian soldiers were unwilling TO fight
/ even in the name of the revolution.
And if they were unwilling to fight in
the name of the revolution under Keren-
sky, why should they be willing to fight
under the Trotzky government?
THE Kerensky government wanted to
give the Russian people not less than
/ Trotzky desires to give them. But it
did not succeed. Will Trotzky be able
TO do It?"