Evening star., 1918-05-26
RUSSIA DECLARED
BIG FACTOR IN WAR
Anti-German RevoIts Are
Keeping Large Teuton
Forces Employed.
INVADERS STIR UP ANGER
BY ARTHUR RANSOME.
Cablegfam to The Sunday Star and
New York World.

Copyright, 1881
MOSCOW, May 25.-Every day the
Germans arc providing fresh fuel for
the fire of anti German hatred which
is burning as red as the revolutionary
flag that waves over the Russian en-
bassy in Berlin. The German action
in Ukraine, while pleasing to few,
is setting the many violently against
them.
Polish legionaries and the Germans
have fought a pitched battle with 49,
900 on each side. All this tends to
increase the number of forces needed
by the Germans in the east. The allies
should realize that peace with the
revolution keeps many German troops
employed here. The revolution and
the soviet in Russia are still an im-
portant factor in the war, and the
failure to recognize that fact definitely
weakcns that factor.
Difficulties Increased.
Thus the appointment Of hetman In
Kieff has increased. instead Of de-
creasing, the German difficulties. The
Germans conquered Ukraine with the
help of Ukrainian meidamaks, who
supported the bourgeoise rada. They
had to use more than 100000 men.
Now they are forced to disarm the
Ukrainian troops because OF their
newly learned hatred of the Germans.
They bribed the privileged classes
by announcing through hetman the
restoration of land and other prop
erty, and the result is that without
Ukrainfan support the Germans now
have to take from a nation of peas
ants the land which the peasants will
not voluntarily surrender.
Hens Must Be Registered.
ritory come fresh tales of the resent
ment against German strictness and
greed. Here is a small thing. but it
well illustrates the way In which the
Germans exasperate the peasantry. 1t
Is the general registration Of hens.
three eggs weekly. Any hen that dies
must be brought in person to satisfy
the German commandant that IT il no
longer able to lay eggs. That is in
Luo uOIlu.
There are a thousand similar stories.
and every day peasant risfngs. now
here, and there, are causing a per-
petual conflict not only between the
Germans and the peasants. but also
between the Germans and classes
Two Marked Tendencies.
There are two marked tendencies in
ne ocfA Es,,ra ho Ha
coming more definitely anti-German,
while its privileged classes are look
ing more eagerly to Germany to save
them from the masses.
Thus no amount of words from in
dividual cadets will alter the fact that
the cadet party in the Ukraine is pro-
viding active assistance to the Ger
man-appointed bread collector, Het-
man Skoropausky, or even the more
significant fact that the leading ca
diets here had a consultation with
Count Mirbach. The class interests,
as could long ago have been fore
seen. have overruled all others. The
following words were used by a cadet
who only a month ago was a sup
porter Of the allies: 'Hetman Skoro-
pausky is getting to be well liked. He
is striving honestly to put things
back on a firm basis. We need some-
thing like that in Russia"
To the objection that Hetman was
pro-German and was supported by
Germans, he replied: mo matter. He
may be a German or he may be Ger
patriot. I say that he will restore our
rights and property"
Only Anti-German Force.
II the Germans come they undoubt-
edly will find a welcome from the
very classes and the very parties
which we politely suppose to be pro-
English. The only definite anti-Ger-
man force in Russia is that of the
soviets. Class interests just as in
evitably make the soviets anti-Ger-
man as they make the bourgeoise pro- |
German. 1t is net a question of SYM |
pathy, but of logic.
The transiberian railway between /
Irkutsk and Vladivostok is clear and |
the forces of Col. Semenoff. the Co.'S |
sack commander, have been held in |
check.
New Soviet Army Succeeds.
The newly formed soviet army of in
fantry has been entirely successful. |
One of Semenoff's bands. dispatched in
the direction of Troitkovask. near XII |
akhta in trans-Balkalkia, has been de-
feated and the survivors. both of the |
rank and file, are surrendering their |
arms or joining the soviet troops.
In the Orenburg district-another
nest Of Semenoff's counter revolution
ary activity-the situation has been
the Orenburg-Samson railway has been
The soviet Announces:
mo foreign interference for us. We
are convinced we shall destroy every |
one of these counter revolutionary
bands.''