The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-20
WASHINGTON IS NOT
 SURPRISED AT NEWS
 0F RUSSIAN PE ACE
Has Been Expected That Lenine and TrOtzky Would Give in to
 Save Power

Washington, February 19.--An- nounccment of the bolshrxlIx goycrn-. mcnt of it's intention to sign peace treaty based on the humilinting con- ditions imposed by the Germans caused no surprise in official circles here in view of the failure of the Russians attempt to influence the German so- ciarists to prevent an attack on un- resisting people.
 An irresistible demand by the great masses of the Russian people for peace had brought about the downfall in turn of three successive governments, that of Czar Nicholas, Prince Lvosk and Kerensky. Lenine and Trotzky, ac- cording to the official understanding here, were fully aware that their re- gime would share the same fate if they failed to respond to the over whelming demand of the public.
 DANGER OF OVERTHROW
 There was danger of overthrow from the more patriotic Russians through accepting degrading terms of peace, but having carefully caIculaed the chances, it is believed here that Len inc and Trotzky finally decided in the face of the renewed German ad- vance into Russian territory, that their only hope of maintaining control of the government lay in complete submis- sion to the German demands.
 Such a peace treaty as now may be signed according to the official view here must depend for it's vitality and legality entirely upon the outcome of the great war. Being made under ah- solute compulsion and by what is re- garded as nothing more than faction of the Russian people, the allies in a peace conference would demand that it be disregarded
 FEARFUL TERMS
 Accepting as accurate the statement credited to Trotzky in his report upon the Brest-Litovsk negotiations, that the German terms included the reten. ton of Poland, Lithuania. Riga and Moon Island and indemnity of 800, ,000.- 900 pounds, it is pointed out that the proposed treaty will be in direct viola tion not only of all peace principles laid down by the entente spokesmen and President Wilson. but of the often quoted Teutonic declaration of mo aIi> nexation and no indemnities." How ever it is taken for granted that there will be an attempt to disguise these demands and deny that they constitute either indemnity or annexation. GERMANS WILL CAMOUFLAGE
 It is fully expected. that the effort will be made to show that what tho German Reichstag meant in declaring against indemnities were punitive ex- actions and not repayment for the ac- tual damages sustained through the tremendous Russian drives into Po- land and Galicia in the early days of the war. Also it is anticipated that the Germans will claim that their con- tinued occupation of the western Rus sian provinces is not really annexa- tion in the objectionable meaning of that term.
 The occupied provinces are to be held only as pledge for the payment of the indemnity.
 It is realized. however. in diplomatic circles that the signing of such treaty will serve to strengthen tremendously the military parties in Germany and Aus tria where they have been seriously threatened by the socialistic clements because of the inadequate peace ar rangement they have made with the Ukraine.
 ALLIES ARE PREPARED
 As the treaty must mean cessation of the bolshevik attacks upon the Ukraine, the German troops which were to have been sent to the defense of Ukraine will be released for west ern service. Otherwise it is not per- ceived by the officials here how the compulsory signature of a Russo Ger man treaty can have any further effect upon the conduct of the war. as the transfer of the Gerrsan easte-~ .~ to the western front has been fully an. ticipated by the entente military coai-