Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-08
Scraps of PAPER.

IL is quite natural that the majority of in
formed and thoughtful Russians should consider
the Bolshevii treaty with Germany a mere scrap
of paper; that is all that the fair-minded world
considers it, and that is all it will amount to-
The Huns are now exultantly gathering in their
eastern booty, the lands and rights of betrayed
and helpless people; but they no more will be
permitted to keep those stolen provinces that
they will be permitted to keep Belgium and
northern France. The Allies no more will recog-
nize compact OF Prussan outlawry legal
and valid than a court of justice would recog-
nize the forgeries OF an embezzler legal and
valid. The only treaty that will stand will be
that which chastened and demilitarized Ger
many signs at the dictates of democracy and civ
ilization.
For the Allies to let the German robbery in
Russia go unrighted would be to lose the
they are fighting for and to forsake the princi-
pies they believe in. Possessed of the priceless
Baltic provinces and the vast treasure OF Ukraine
Germany could well afford to give up all her
conquests in the West, including even Asace and
Lorraine With the greater part of Russia in
their grasp, the Hohenzollerns would be better
circumstance to press forward their scheme of
world domination than if they, should hold their
plumber in France and Belgium instead. II it is
justice and durable peace that we are fighting
to vindicate and insure have thought
of countenancing anything but equity in the East
we'll the West; we can not permit Prus-
sian autocracy to hand about nations and peoples
as though they we're mere chatteis mere pawns
in game"
The so-called peace treaty with Russia and
the Ukraine lacks even semblance of validity.
Aside from the apparent treason of the Trotzy-
Lenine regime and the fact that the Bolsheviki
represented ftful impulse and mad minority
rather than the responsible will of the Russian
people as whole, it is plain that the Germans
gained their present advantage by repudiating
solemn promises just they did in the case Of
Belgium. They pledged themselves that the
Brest-Litovsk conference should be conducted
upon the principle OF no annexations and no in
IDENTITIES; II upon that assurance that Rus
sian sentiment in favor of the negotiations was
developed But no sooner we're the parleys under
way than German duplicity unmasked itself; and
in the end the promise of no annexations and no
indemnities turned into a demand for the
surrender of the richer parts of all Russia to-
gether with indemnity OF four billion dollars.
The Ukrainian pact is merely artifce secretly
contrived by little group of militarists and po-
Htical adventures to put the richest of Russias
agricultural lands under German control. The
day of secret treaties, like the day of conquest
and aggrandizement, is gone by says President
Wilson-"secret covenants entered into in the
some unlooked-for moment to upset the peace of
the world" The for democracy and lasting
concord will have been fought in vain if this
deceit and banditry of Prussianism are allowed to
stand.
But stand it will unless the Allies win an all
decisive victory. The Huns are more arrogant
more tyrannous, more greedy, more swinish more
determined to conquer and to rule the world
than they were at the wars beginning. They
more than ever convinced that they are a ma
ton of supermen They more than ever
treacherous and without moral responsibility
The only peace they would make today would be
a peace validating German outlawry or resting
upon German perfdy. The only treaty they now
would enter into with America and the Allies
would be like that they have thrust upon betrayed
Russia; or, il it were outwardly fair it would be
merely scrap of paper. Not until the Mailed
Fist is uncenched, not until it is struck limp and
powerless for future brutality will Germany lis
ten to reason square her with the ways
of justice and humanity.
On every plot may be found the familiar LABEL