Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-20
RUSSlA7S FREEDOM

DIR Milenko r. Vesnitch, chief of the
Serbian war mission to the United
States asserted his belief in an interview
that the BoIsheviki regime in Russia
was German-made, and that it was
through sinister German influence that
Lenine and Trotzlly were raised to their
present positions of prominence in Petro-
grad.
DIR. NesnitGh was careful to explain that
he neither suggested nor admitted that
Lenne and Trotsky We're traitors to
Russia, but he did not hesitate in stating
his belief that since the beginning of
the war they have been simply tools in
the hands of the diplomacy of the cen
trail powers" The so-called peace nego-
tiations" at Brest-LitoNsk We're charact-
eri2ed by DR.. NeSritch as not partaking
of the character of peace negotiations,
but rather of German business arrange
nents."
With the entrance of the United States
into the war DR.. Nesnitch believes it
should be possible for the entente to
choose the military and political initia-
tive. He asserted that ever since the
war began the central powers of Europe
had taken the initiative in military and
political action, and tnac the entente
allies had rather followed a defensive
policy, but that, in his judgment, the
Beginnings of Mar.
'''Since the first beginnings of this tire
nnendous war" said DIR. Wesnitch, ''the
German propaganda has stirred Russia in
a revolutionary sense but ] can give you
q historical episode from which you Will
see that this propaganda Was very active
oven before the war began. Iou renlem-
her that after the SeraJeNo murder the
Asustro- German press tried to 1ull the
public opinion and the diplomacy of Iu-
rope, and that many of the diplomats at
Vienna Thought themselves justified in
going on leave. among them the Russian
ambassador himself
when the ultimatum to Serbia, un-
exampled in history, had been delivered
at Belgrade. NJ. Saz0non, the Russian
foreign minister, invited his ambassador
to the Austrian court to return imme-
fiiately to his post. Arriving in Vienna
on the both of July, NJ Shebil1o presented
himself at il in the morning at Baliplatz,
and passing in the ante-r0om the German
ambassador, he engaged in a very serious
conversation with him. He insisted to
Count BerGht0ld upon the gravity of the
situation, on tie necessity of arranging
matters without running the risk of q
great European and perhaps even world
war.
"Count Berchtold listened to his deola-
rations with an unusual and rather arti-
fetal quietness, and, on repeated insist
ence of the Russian ambassador that pub
lie opinion in Russia being extremely eX-
cited on account of the brutality of the
Austro- Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia
his government would very probably be
obliged to mobilize, replied that the am
bassador's pre-occupation was certainly
exaggerated and that there was no dan
ger at all of European war, not even of
a Russian mobilization, and as his inter
viewer looked at hi rnsomeWhat surprised
at this declaration added, looming to me,
you probably passed your German col
league. M Tschirsky has just read to me
q dispatch from his colleague in ST. Pc
tersbuDg" and added, rather snlilingiy
aAnd you know that Count POurtaleS is a