The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-04
Berlin Government Over.
plays Hand in Dealing
With BOlshpviki.
DUPLICITY REVEALED
Negotiations Now Seen az
Desperate Intrigue. for
Territory.
WAR COUNCIL SUMMONED
Reaction in Petrograd Feeling
Is Charged to Diplomatic
Blundcr.
special Gable Despnfch 70 Tue Srx.

Copyright. 1918: oil rights reserred,
LONDON. Jan. 3.-Prcdictions as 10
future events in Russia arc particularly
futile at time when II is impossible
even to determine the daily happenings,
but diplomatic and lay adyices make
IL clear that the relations Of the Germans
and the Bolshevki are strained near to
the breaking point.
Some veiled suggestions coming from
Germany are interpreted as indicating
that the Berlin Government has over
played its hand with the German people,
pretending 10 be sincerely negotiating
for peace without anneXations while
actually conducting a desperate intrigue
to fool both the Russian and the Ger
man people and establish conditions un.
der which later Poland, Courland. I.,th.
uania. Esthonia and part of Livonfa
would be annexed TO Germany or Aus
tria.
Scraps of news from Berlin via Am.
sterdam indicate that the German So-
calis,s and all other sincere peace ad-
vocates. doubtless including the ma
jority OF the plain people. are Nio-
lently indignant over their Govern
ment's course. believing that it is con-
victing Germany OF all tho insincerity
and dishonesty charged against It ny
enemies, insurng the proiongation of
the war and making il possible thai D
great reaction may restore Russia to
the ranks as an effective war power,
Nystery A. to Details.
There is still much mystery a. To the
precise details and the depths Of plots
! the German delegation at rest-Li,o,sk
attempted to perpe,rate. Apparently 'hp
German delegation imagined the Rni-
shevk ernissaries were mere childrcu.
easily managed. incapable of rcalsirG
the significance OF the tests they wria
asked TO accept or willing 70 subscribe
TO any humiliation. even the ruin OF
Russia
The latest developments in PetroGrad
show that the Germans erred fatally IN
this assumption. II is now reasonably
clear that the German plan Was TO pre-
| tend 20 accept the formula OF peace
: without Rnnexations and indemnities on
condition that all territories now occu-
pied by Germany be permitted to decide
their own future allegiance or indepeMd-
ence. but the Germans insisted on keep
ing their armies Of occupation in these
territories. intending by characteristic
Prussian methods to contecl absolutely
whatever plebiscite ultimately should he
, taken TO decide the question Ry this
! means they would make surc that tho
popular voice would appear 10 favor
union with Germany.
! I.nslaved 100000 Workers.
: Apparently systematic preparation has
been afoot for a considerable tino in
anticipation of this programme. Recent
: despa tches reported that great numbers
Of men in the occupied territories hava
been forcibly removed by tho German
armies for the double purpose OF ror-
/ Wandering their labor in Germany and
| preventing them from participating IN u
! plebiscite later. 1T is stated that the
number thus removed is 100000 whls
| other multitudes hAd left their homes
and retired into tho interior Of Russia
| before the German invasion.
! Considering tho large German el.-
nlent in the normal population OF thoys
provinces, the further fact that a con-
| siderable number of Pulss prefer union
| with Germany rather than with Russia,
! the great German invasion OF Tho or"u-
/ ped territory recently. il would ne 4
! simple matter to produce an appearance
/ satisfactory to Berlin that these prov
| inCes desire union with Germ3uv