El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-08
)YTREADY TO 60 OVER THE TOP
RUSSIA FURNISHES WAR COMEDY
WITH VERY SERIOUS SIDE TO IT
(BYH. S. H.)

them be released forthwith He would be turned aside
any pretext and the Germans finally obliged to say
that consideration would be given 10 the demand.
During this debate Russian delegates began returning
to Perograd Brest Litovsk report the breaking
off Of negotiations there They prompt to announce
that unless Germany threw off the annexation camOuag
Russia would make peace, but not with the German i'm
peIa representatives Russia would make peace with the
German Socialists Although the Russians did not So
this would that the German Socialists would have to
overthrow their government before they could make peace
with Russia of their initiative. It is possible with
that end in view that the BolshevH has been deuging
German troops with SOciastc propaganda despite the ut
efforts of German commanders to keep it out and
that Bolshevh troops have been communicating their ideas
to German troops by word of mouth during their ratern
cations.
The foregoing is the funny side of the picture The
serious fact underlying all the negotiations is that Trotz
the Bolshev leader and all his eutenants in deadly
earnest and they are making things most embarrassing
and unpleasant for the German government How Ger
many keep all the German people but the Pan-Germans
quiet unless the government yields to Russia? How
the imperial war aims be even partly satisfied if the gov
eminent does yield to Russia?
Suppose Germany stood obdurae and the peace negoa
tons failed utterly now seems certain It would be
calamity to have to draw back all those millions of Ger
Austrian, Bulgarian and Turkish troops to the east
front and TeOIganze 1000 mile line held by skeleton
organizations only hurried movement Of that kind would
disoganz the interior Of Germany and give the allies an
immense advantage What IS worse, the of the Ger
people believes peace with Russia is fact It
would Tend their weary souls to find they had to start
all over again to fight Russia and in addition take on
the great new adversary, the United States.
What Germany will do in the next few weeks will form
Of the most vital chapters Of the The crisis is at
hand this moment Germany must give up everything
the and make separate peace with Russia take
chances on renewal the front. Russia may
be stricken bear but still has power In its jaws and
claws and unwieldy to kill utterly the dele
gates at Brest Litovsk boosted.
What about Trotzky himself? This Russian-American
Socialist has formed dictatorship absolute Nicholas
ever had and he ruling the major part Of Russia with
rod Of iron. Moreover his influence is spreading and the
opposition TO him is weakening. He and his immediate
associates forcing their combined will the Russian
people and compelling them to obey.
If he keeps the support of the greater part Of the Rus
sian army and maintains his aggressive attitude toward
German mitarsm there is great hope that Russia may
again prove very influential in the overthrow autoc
racy for It already has crowbar under that autocracy
That is the the United States and Great Britain
and France leaving TTotzy undisturbed to work ont
the salvation Of Russia and the downfall of Prussan in
peTialism as best he may.