The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-08
RUSSIA REALLY
OUT OF THE WAR
Armistice Causes Pessimism
Among the Entente
Diplomats
WILL FREE THE
TEUTON TROOPS
Agreement Fails to Fulfill
Promise Made by
Trotzky

fls
tance as military factor in the worl'
war must be discounted almost entirely
prominent diplomats said yesterday.
They expressed the most pessimlsti
views they have yet voiced and said
rebound, if one is forthcoming, will b.
DELAYED longer than they had hoped.
Russian diplomats held the view thai
the longer the armistice continued thu
stronger would be the prospects OF
separate peace.
PetroQrad, Dec. s.--Gen. Grustcher
Batcheff. assistant Russian commander
on the Rumania front, has begun pre-
liminary armistiee negotiations witt
Gen. Mackinsen, it was announced yes
terday.
Germany is apparently to be permitted
by the Bolsheviki to transfer all the
troops she desires from the Russian
fronts for use agaist the allies. The full
text of an armistice agreement signed by
the 9th Russian and the 3lst German
infantry divisions, as published here yes
terday in the Pravda, shows no supula-
ton that German troops must not be
used on other fronts. Such stipu-
lation was specifically pledged by Boil
sheviki Foreign Minister Trotzky in a
recent speech.
The Soviet Bulletin yesterday pub
lished another version of the r,imored
American military attaches protest to
Bolsheviki military headquarters against
separate peace, which Trotzky de
nounced as ''unwarranted interference"
and which Lieut. Col. Judson of the
American army was reported to have
formally notified Trotzky was 'misun-
derstood"
According to the Bulletin, an Ameri-
can military officer visited Trotzky last
Saturday and asked if the Bolsheviki
government intended to make peace.
Trotzky expressed desire for a
general peace in which all the allies could
join. Later the officer asked if Trotzky
intended acting against the American
military officer who protested to the
Russian headquarters staff.
Trotzky replied that the incident was
closed.
The British embassy and consulate
Yesterday began the distribution to Brit
ish cities of special placards to be tackled
on their doors notifying all Russians of
the nationality of the householders.
London Dee. S.-AIl of Russias diplo-
matte officials have been formally asked
by Bolsheviki foreign minister Trotzky
whether they will support the general
peace plan. The alternative, as pre-
scented in the message received by the
Russian ambassador reply is demanded
The Russian embassy here will not
reply to the message, it was stated.
The Bolshevki committees control a
majority of the Russian armies in Ru-
mania, according to word received here
yesterday. One division of the 9th army,
it was stated, had already signed an ar
misticc. The Russian armies in Molda- |
via and Bukowina on Saturday openly |
fraternized with their German opponents.
German officers even formally dined |
with Russian officers.
Jassy, Dec. S.-Rumanan troops have
rejected enemy attempts to fraternize |
and have reserved action on Russian |
and German armistice negotiations. an
official statement announced yesterday. |
The war office explained that the Rus
slams, having proposed an armistice with
the enemy, the question arose whether
The Rumanians associated with the Rus
slams on certain fronts should associate
with them in the truce. As conse-
Iuenee all hostilities were suspended UNI
til 8 o'clock. Enemy troops, the state
ment said, 'loudly manifested their sat
sfaction and attempted to fraternize
with the Rumanians''
"The Rumanians,' the statement con
GUIDED, ''acted with reserve and dignity
and rejected the attempts"