The Washington herald., 1918-01-01
iermany's Humanitarian
Terms to Russia Will Be
Exposed by Allies.
SEPARATE AGREEMENT
WITH SLAVS HURRIED
Central Powers Racing IN
Diplomacy to Anticipate
I, Entente Declaration.

London. Dec. 3l.Fngland. d.
France and Italy will not let slip
Sast the opportunity to puncture
he camouflage yelling Germany S
Humanitarian" peace terms to
Russia.
Unmistakable hints came from
Aigh official quarters tonight that
cIear-cut JOINT reply of the allies
o Trozky's general peace invita-
Jon is forthcoming before the new
rear is very old.
Premier Lloyd George is about
o go to Paris. There he Is ex-
,ected to draft. together with the
french and Italian government
pokesmen, the most definite state
nent on the allies war aims yet
made.
Against that statement the CEN
raj powers propose, from all ap-
,eararces, to make the greatest
diplomatic race of the war.
Separate Peace Rushed.
3 Unless all signs deceive, they mean
o conclude a separate peace with
kussia before the allies have spoken.
They mean to convert all of Russia 5
Festern borderland from the Baltic
b the Black Sea into a sovereignty of
fbufferN states''-CouTland, Lithuania,
esthonoa. Livonia, Poland, Ukraine
ind Bessarabia.
Having pledged themselves against
'forcibie annexations." they have
lgreed to recognize these states as
independent
( All of them are to decide. however,
by a olcbiscfte. just what form Of
koyerument they desire and whether
shey wish to come into economic, pos
iibly political. union with this or that
br the great neighboring empire.
Occupied by TeutonA
Ian Of these prospective buffer states,
kept the Ukraine and Bessarabia,
ire now partly or wholly occupied by
Eerman and Austrian troops. The
Question as to whether these troops
Ihould get out before or after the
5lebiscites is the one snAg the Brest-
Litovsk negotiations struck.
Russia says ''at once"' Germany
iolds out for evacuation "at a later
late" To smooth out the differences
8oncerning this point. the two Teu-
on foreign ministers are now in their
respective capitals consulting their i'm
lerial masters, ministries and the po-
ltical party leaders.
To pick out the transcendaht ad-
santages-strategic political and
iconomic-that the central powers
you'd reap If their present plan
toes through, will be the main task
Z the allied statesmen, the chief
lote Of their reply to Trotzky.
Even within the borders of the
81 herman empire voices are making
themselves heard protesting against
be alleged insincerity of the Teu-
on plan. Vorwaerts, the majority
ocialist organ, charged today that
fermany had failed to accept the
pirit of the Russian terms while
sstentatiously accepting their
lhraseology-
Danger In Confab.
A significant dispatch came from
jtOckholm today. 1t is, for the pres
mt, to be taken with considerable
kepticism. 1t asserts that allied
diplomats are urging their respec-
i've governments to get together
4 conference there for the lay
hg down OF a concrete policy of
-erms for general peace.
Z While such action, If taken, un-
ioubtedly would go a long way to-
fard checkmating the BoIsheviki at
fmpts for separate peace, since
he saner elements would eagerly
rasp such chance to prevent COM
Aete surrender to the two Kaisers,
here is considerable danger attached
a general peace confab on neutral
Z round at this time-danger which
ntweighs the advantages that may
e derived from II. Nor is IL be-
feved the allied governments will
i've the suggestion serious thought.
Meanwhile the news from Russia
hdicates that the RESUMPTION of
tommercial ties between Russia and
he central powers has been begun
Interchange of goods is said to be
n full swing. From Copenha gen
aIlle the news that Russia has re-
BASED fourteen Austrian interned
teamers aggregating 10000 tons.
The Bosheyikrs troubles at home
tre4 however, by no meang over. Civil
var Is reported spreading all over
sioefia- In the Ukraine, too, fratrici-
fal strife has broken out anew.
Z Befhn, in the meantime, is flirting
Fltn the Ukraine leaders, trying to
ket them to send bona-fide representa-
ives 20 Brest-Litovsk. Nothing would
Pfease the central powers better. It
ars1ed in well-posted circles, than
me continuance of Russia's splitting
- INTO dozen or more separate in
fepe snt states.
I VI htely these are expected to
lo1 federated republic of the
States of Russia. but by that
lr jim and Vienna expect to have
paign Of peaceful conquest"
way.
Patrol Boat Sinks.
Department reports that