New-York tribune., 1918-01-14
He Says Militarists Pre-
ferred Ending Farley to
Freeing Poland
Teuton Policy
"Annexationist"
Berlin Version Of Brest.
Litovsk Conference Omit
ted Bolshevik Plea

ference at Brest-Litovsk shows con-
siderable variance from> the German
xcrsjon transmitted by the Wolff Bu-
reau Saturday. The Russian version
pictures the Russian delegates as act
mo throughout with more than sus-
ricion-rather than an actual convic-
tion-that The German delegates were
virtually agents of the military and an
nssationist groups. One passage of
Trotzky's speech which the Wolff Bu-
reru omits follows:
"The sincerity of our aspirations for
peace are sufficiently proved by our
attitude regarding the free right Of de-
velopment of Finland. Armenia 4Ud
Ukraina. The other side has only to
show al analogous attitude regarding
the regions occupied by it.
Referring TO al early part Of TYotz-
sy's speech, the German version
which it says NJ. Trotzky expressed re-
grets. The Russian version says moth
ing about regrets. but introduces fiery
passage asserting that the German
viewpoint regarding reoccupied terri
tories is merely that the will of the
people should be replaced by the will
of q privileged group.
The German Version
Near the close is passage which
the German version gives thus:
"The Russian government, however,
wrote at the head of its programme q
world peace The great sympathies Of
the Russian people for the peoples of
the Allies strengthen it in its desire to
attain the speediest peace based on
understanding among the peoples"
The Russian account says: "Cur
government placed at the head of it's
programme d world peace, but it prom
ised the people TO sign only a demo-
cratic and just peace. The sympathies
OF the Russian people arc Hi.,, the
working classes Of Germany and her
allies. Years of war have not hardened
the hearts of the Russian soldiers. who
stretch forth their hands to the peop.e
en- the other side"
the negotiations to Stockholm, the Rus
sian version says in part:
The refusal of the Central powers
to transfer the conference to neutral
site is only eXplicable by the desire
OF their governments and powerful an
neXatlonist groups to base their deal
lngs no. on reconciliation of peoples
but on the war map. But war maps dis
appear when peoples remain.
An Ultimatum Delivered
I'VE regarded as idle the assertions
OF the German press that refusal tC
transfer the conference was in the nat
ure OF an ultimatum. We were wrong
An ultimatum was delivered parlcys
at Brest-Ltovsk or none
The German anneXationists regart
the rupture Of negotiations as prefera
bic to a conciliatory settlement of the
future OF Poland, Lithuania. Courlanc
and Armenia. Scmi-official anexa
tlonist agitators in the contra
countries are trying 20 persuade
the German people that behind the
open and frank policy of Rus
sia is j British or other stage
manager
Therefore. VIC decided to remain al
Brest-Lltovsk so that the slightest pos
slbillty of peace may not be lost, sc
that it may be established whether
peace i possible with the Central
powers without violence to the Poles
atts, Armenians and all other nation
sIltles to which the Russian revolution
sssures full right of Development, with
0ss reservation or restriction
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 13.-The rcpor
9i the Wolff Bureau, the German semi
oslcial news agency, on Saturdays de
Aberations at the BrestLitovsk peace
conference says that at the opening o
the sitting Count Czernin. the Austro
hungarian Foreign Minister. an
nounced that the Central Powers rec
ognzed the Ukraine delegation as "al
Independent delegation representing
'ne Ukrainlan Republic,' but that for
NAL recognition of the Ukrainian Re
pubic as an indepe endent state woul'
&c reserved for the peace treaty:
N. Trotzky, the Bolshevik Foreign
Minister, followed Count Czernin. say
nss, ing that such conflicts as had occurre'
between the Russian government an
me Ukraine "have had no connection
with the question of the clf-determi
nation of the Ukraine, concernln
which there is no room for confilc
pet"een the two sister republics"
Later in the session the delegate
discussed the German claim that tn
Sussian wireless statements issue
uurlng the recess constituted trans
sfesslon of the spirit of the armstlce
". Irotzky desired to know in wha
particular the spirit of the armistlc
nad been transgressed by the commu
nicatlons, and General Hoffman,, o
he German delegation, replied:
AT the head of the armistce treat
stood the words, Bring about lastin
peace Your Russian propaganda trans
sfessed this Intention, because it di
"o' strive after a lasting peace, but t
carry the resolutions concerning civ
war into the countries of the Centrs
powers"
10 this statement Trotzky reptile
mat the treaty contained no restri<
IONS on expressions of opinion
..l9izens of the Russian Republic Q
Melr governing officials. DR.. Richar
,sh ,oh kuehmann, the German Foreig
ing:
{. Non interferca in Russian affair
20 .he liked principle of the Cerma
Respect
r, Answering Dr.. Won Kuehlmsnr
,rotzky replied: "On the other han
tne russians will recognize it. as a ste
Inward If the Germans. freely an
;saahkly express their views regardin
is'srnal conditions in Russia, as far ;
>uss think it necessary