Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-25

Keep Belgium: she mugt &c. back not
only her colonies, but she must be
given other peoples rs we'll. She must
keep every acre Of land she has con-
quercd." and SO on.
Right in the middle of the speech
n number OF disabled soldiers who
were among the audience INTERRUPTED
the speaker: Why don't you go into
the trenches instead OF making patri-
otic speeches." There was hush in
he hall. This was SO unexpected Thu
one OF The men Got UP. holding up his
empty sleeve. lie shouted: How
many more men do you want killed
and crippled in order to achieve all
YOU desire?' This brought down the
house. and Count Bothmer departed u
saddcr and wiser man.
All this is significant enough. Equally
so is tho threat. uttered in the rrus-
sian Parliament early In December.
1915 that If tho government did not
help the people against the into!crable
oppression OF the military there would
be revolution in Germany The very
walls of the building tremb,ed That,
the word revolution should be uttered
in the Prussian Parliament was some
thing unheard OF.
Yet is II any wonder? Food IL scarce
clothes cannot be got. streets are dark.
there is no coal, railway travelling Is
martErdom, the military authorities on
press the public with an iron heel
You may not talk aloud. you may no,
read what you like. Life is becoming
intolerable. Every family has Loot
some one in tho war. Suffering Is ire
mendous. and yet thcre was no pros
pect Of peace
All Of a sudden there comes the news
tina; Russia is willing to discuss terms.
The Germans danced for Joy. Here a.
last was the light breaking on their
darkness. They would only need to
bear their ills Ettle. little longer, SO
all eyes turned 10 Brcst Li,ovsk. The re
appeared 10 be 4 few difficulties on tho
horlZoA. On the 10Th day Of July, 1917.
the German imperial parliament passed
| a resolution in favor Of peace by under
standing without annexations and
without indcinnities This was tho kind
or peace the Bolsheviki wanted. So the
German people expected great things 20
happen. Did the German government?
They sent men TO Brcst Litovsk to get
as much AZ they could for Germany.
But the Bolsheviki asked for plain
neXations. The Dolshcviki were piedg-
ed TO that. The majority parties in the
German imperial parliament were
pledged TO that. The Socialists in Ger
many asked for nothing else. No an
nexations and no indemnities. a plain
formula for plain people
lf the German government and the
Kaiser are honest there need be no diff
fculties in the way. Peace with Rus
sia would soon DO in sight. But tho
German government Is not honest.
They are playing monkey tricks at
present with the Bolshcviki But the
| Hoishcviki sec through the receptions.
and are going to stand firm.
| IL tho German delegates should re-
turn from Brest Litovsk and tell tho
Germans that they must go on nshtins,
! an angry people will riso up. and
sweep away the whole creW-KaiScr
and all. All the bitterness. the disap-
pointment the pain. tho loss. the suf-
! fering. the hardships that have ac-
| cumulated during the last three years
will turn Il disappointed people aGains,
their masters. The German Is a worm
but even n worm will turn. The re-
| form in Germany will be internal.