New-York tribune., 1918-09-19

order fhrough TrotSkY to incito ogi-
tot'on against the Rumoninu army
md to arrest Diamandi. the Roma
man Minister.
CONFIDENTIAL
(No. III, Affair of Peace Deieg.. to
report 4 l, Urgent (Initials.)
Brest- -Litorsk,
Dec 81, 191?. No. sos ~. X.
Comr. Shitkevtch: Take copies
and send to the Comiss. for Foreign
Affairs, personally to Comr. Zulkind.
To the Council of National Com
missaries: Comrade L. d. Trotzky
has charged me to bring to the
knowledge of the Council of National
Commissarics the motives for his
Geographic proposal to arrest the
Rumanian diplomatic representa-
tives in Petersburg
General hoffman, referring to the
conference which had taken place in
Brest-LtovSk between the members
of the German and Austro- lIunga-
ian delegations on December %, pre-
sented to the Russian delegation in
the name of the German and Aus
trian chief command "a deciphered
radio telegram was exhibited in this
connection) confidential demand
concerning the immediate incitement
OF the Rumanlan army to recognize
the necessity of an armistice and
adopting the terms Of a democratic
peace pointed out by the Russian
delegates. The implacability of the
staff and the whole commanding
force OF the Rumanian army, with
regard to which the chief command
of the German army has received
the most exact agency information,
spolls the excellent impression pro-
duced in Germany and on all the
fronts by the Russian peace propo-
sitions. which have made it possible
to again stimulate the popular feel
ing against England, France and
America and can bring about an un-
desirable and dangerous aggravation
of the peace question up to the Ger
man army going over to the attack
on our front and an open annexation
OF the territories occupied in Russia.
The general expressed his opinion
that against peace might be the Cos
sacks. some U ainian regiments and
the Caucasian army, III which case
they will also doubtless be joined by
the Rumanian armies, which, accord
ing to the information in possession
of the German staff. enters into the
calculations Of kaledin and Alexief.
1t is greatly in the interests Of the
German and Austrian delegations
that complete harmony should pre-
vail on the entire Russian front as
regards the conclusion of an armis-
tice and adopting the terms of a
separate peace between Russia and
the German and Austrian chief com
mand will propose to Rumania their
terms of peace. and will be in posi-
ton to take up their operative ac-
tons on the Western front on very
large scale, at the same time Gen
eral Hoffman, in the course of CON
versation with Comr. Trotzky, twice
hlntod at the necessity of imme-
diately beginning these war opera
tions
When Comr. Trotzky declared that
at the disposal of the councils power
There are no means of influencing the
Rumanian staff. General Hoffman
pointed out the necessity Of sending
trustworthy agents to the Rumaninn
army and the possibility of arrest
ing the Rumanian mission in Peters
burg and repressive measures against
IL. iNuildllldH Ming ana lnG KunU-
.nian commanding forces.
After this interview Comr. l.. d.
Irotzky by cable proposed to arrest
the Rumanian mission in Petersburg
with all its MEMBERS This report
IS being sent by special courier
Comrade l. G.. Brossotf who has to
personally transmit to Commissary
Podvolsky some information of
secret character regarding the send
ing to the Rumanian army of those
persons w$A~sc names Comr. Bros
soft will Giv>> (Notc-Undcrscorc
marked "To Sander"D All these
persons will be paid out Of the cash
of the German Naphtha-Industria
Bank which has bought near Bor-
eslavl the business Of the joint stock
company of Fanto g. Co. The chief
direction of those agents has been
intrusted. according to General IIoff-
mans indication, to certain Wolf
Nonigel (Notc-von 1geD, who is
keeping a watch over the military
agents of the countries allied with
US AS regards the English and
American diplomatic representatives,
General Hoffman has expressed the
agreement of the German staff to
the measures adopted by Comr
Trotzky and Comr. Lazimiroff with
regard to watching over their activ-
Member of the delegation, A.
Jotfe.
Reported January A, regarding the
arrest OF Diamandi and othcrs.-M.
Shitkevitch. January S. 1918,
To the Chancery: Send an urgent
telegram to Trotzky about the arrest
of the Rumanian Minister.-Savc-
lief.
Note Gas cabled February 9).-The
date is January II, Western time. the
eve of the Russian New Year. The
Rumanian Minister was arrested that
night IN Petrograd, and only release d
on the united demand of all embassies
and legations In Petrograd Since then
he has been sent out of Russia. The
letter shows that Trotzky took General
Hotfman's personal demand as an order
for action. Most important of all
however, it strips the mask from the
l.enine and Trotzky public prote stations
that they have sought to prevent the
peace negotiations with Germany from
turning to the military advantage of
Germany against the United States
England and France. The aim here
disclosed is, instead, to aid Germany in
stimulating feeling against England
France and the United States. in en-
abling Germany to prepare for an Of
fenSiVe on the Western front a Cor