The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-05
German Delegation Arrives at
Brest Litovsk to Resume
Peace Negotiations
MAY BACK DOWN ON
ANNEXATION ELANS
Chancellor. in Address to Reich
stag. Gives Optimistic Re"
view of Parleys - Trotzky
Makes Proposals to Persia

London. Jan. 4--Germanys peace
delegation, headed by Foreign Minis
ter DIR. Won Kuehlmann, was back Of
Brest -Litovsk today when Trotzky's
''ultimAtum" TO the allies expired
Up to late this evening II was by no
means certain that the Russian dele
gates, too, had returned to resume the
peace parleys. Trotzky. at last so"
counts, regarded this rs unlikely. If
they did, howeveS, IL was merely to
hear whether Germany has changed
her mind regarding the evacuation OF
Poland, LAthuanis, Courland and parts
OF I1vonia and EsthoEfa. Only com
plete backdown ON this Issue win sat
isfy the Russians.
Whether such a baekdown was au-
tk~riZed by the bundesrath and crown
council Is the question upon which
hinges the fate of the whole peace
conference.
The Lenine governments determin
ed attitude toward the German camou-
ftRge annexation clause has made
such a profound impression, both in
Great Britain and France, that ad-
visa hility OF allied recognition of al
alignment with the Bolshevikt stood
tonight,
The German imperial chancellor,
Count Won Hertling, addressed the
reichstags main CONS .ttee toda--
gave an optimistic review Of the peace
parieys with Russia. invited sugges-
items from the representatives of this
people" and announced that Foreign
Minister kuehlmann had been In
s'ructed:
l. To continue the negotiations at
Brest -Litovsk.
2. To reject the Russian proposal to
transfer the parleys to neutral soiI
tstock holm). .--o~-~--
He was siient--as far az the Berlin
dispatches shovA--on the annexation
list clause, though he did say that Rus
sia's rejection of that clause need not
be matter ,of concern
The fact that kuehlmann was told
to proceed with the negotiations
coupled with the fact that Berlin
knows the Rolsheviki's unfftnchinE
stand on the annexation question. gave
rise to the view that q backdown fs
contemplated.
Berlin and Vienna are said 10 be
flirting. first and foremost, with the
Ukraine. Delegates from that vast
and fertile land. most persevering OF
all In it's hostility to the Bolsheviki, al
ready have been appointed to the
brest- Litovsk conferences. roland has
done likewise. le-s--
The possibility looms strong. there
fore. that the Germans wiz try to
mark time while awaiting further dis
ruption in Russia and try to deal
with the old and new states one by
one.
But II the Boisheviki have refused
~
his fellow delegates are left high and
dry at Brest-Litovsk. then II is not
thought unlikely that the Germans
selling this Insult" as pretext, will
declare the armistice automatically
broken and make a strong military
move designed to cripple Russia
definitely in a military way. advanc-
ing on Petrograd.
This will happen only IL the mill
tary nreorRnds have their way. for
they fear Bolshevikism and its eff
feots upon the Teuton masses more
than they did the organized Russian
armies under cxardom.
Teuton diplomacy. on the other hand
clearly IS bent upon calling off all
hostiiities with Russia and paving the
way for an economic alliance with the
Eastern neighbor. with that guiding
motive in view. Kuehlmann may yet
make the concessions insisted upon by
Lenine and Trotzky.f
Today's conference between the Ger
man chancellor and the retchstag
leaders disclosed that DR.. Matthias Erx-
berger's party. the Centrists. fully
support Germany's stand on the an
nexationist clause. The Socialists
however. appear from Berlin advices
20 be opposed to IT.
Petrograd dispatches TODAY told of
wave os Indignation weeping Rus
STA and nationwide reawakening OF
the fighting spirit.
Trotxky was reported to have sent
note TO Persia offering the evacua-
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