Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-15
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS REST
ON SPEECH OF HERTL|NG
German Chancellor Is Expected to
Reply to Wilson and Lloyd
George in ReiChstag.
DEFIANCE MAY BE KEINoTE.
Distinct Feeling i'm Diplomatic Cir
cics MilitaristS Arc More Firmly
in Saddle Than Ever Before, Fol
lowing Momentous Conferences.

AMSTERDAM J ary 1t-Cpon
Chancellor Won IIertling's speech in the
keichstag tomorrow depends the fate
OF the Russo Tcuton peace negotiations
The conference at Ercst Iitovali
again came within a hairs breadth OF
breaking up in a row during the last
iorty-ciEht hours, and even Tonight
most of the correspondents in Ilussia
;oreshadow All early iiasco as newt
ablc The Tcuton mlitarists. for whom.
~ Ia now established. kuchl Imam and
czcrniu serve as mere mcgaphoncs.
would not bulge: nor would Trotzky;
nor would the Ukrainians.
Eut in the eleventh hour. it is re-
ported. the wires that connect Brcst
Itovsk direct with WilhcImstrassc be-
gan 10 buzz with mysterious hints at
what Count Won lIcrtliug may tell the
Reichstas main committee tomorrow.
This was welcome straw TO the cen
:ral powers delegates; they we're
prompt TO take their cue Immedi-
atcly dispatches regarding the Brcst
l.itovsk parleys took on "a calmcr tone.
At last accounts the Russian delegates
were returning to retroSrad. but the
negotiations. il was said. arc to bc re-
In Berlin. momcutous politicu- mill.
tary conferences lasted tar into the
night. The Kaiser IIimdcrburg. Iadcn-
dorn. the crown prince. the Chancellor
and representatives of tSc various Ger
man states were rcportk 90 be dciib-
Grating. Throughout Europe The cx-
pcctatioa prevails that hertlng s.
speech will bc AN answer TO President
a distinct feeling in diplomatic quar-
tors that defiance VII lie its keynote.
For the miltaris;s arc re-prtcd moro
firmly in the saddle than ever before
50 firmly indeed. that some here expect
'he Chancellor TO make an out and out
anncXationiSt speech. or at least a
threat that unless her terms arc ac.
copied now by all. the central powers
ill be "compcllcd' to claim spoiIs in
the west as we'll IS in the east
NAME Of PRESIDENT WILSON
Is on ALI. ElPS IN RUSSIA
In Petrograd and in Russia at large.
The name Of President Wilson is once
moro on all lips. True, there is still
criticism. opposition and invcctivc. but
the heart OF Russia as whole is
chccrcd by the American executives IS
speech. which is only now beginning to
be understood in is full portcnt.
1t was in this frame OF mind no
longer fanatically vindictivc. but con
cilatorilv onen. that the Russian pco-
pie to-day disestcd New Years mes
saSc-yestcrday was the Russian New
Years Dayfrom United States Am
ba assador Francis. which said. in part:
"'rhc Hussian people cannot be too
often reminded and too deeply i'm
pressed by the fact that their hard
earned freedom is jcopardi4cd by ne
Eotiations FOR a separate peace. nor
that iG Germany dominates Russia their
liberty and tho fruits OF the revolution
will he sacrificed"
MeanWhilc, at Ercst LitoySk the Will
son speech. transmitted in fun over
the wire from lctrosrad at Premier
Leniuc's order. proved strong factor
! in stimcning the back bone of The RUS
sian delegation.
y remarkable battle Of wits was
fought between the cream Of the diplo-
matte talent Of four great nations and
the man who in sis months swung him.
self from "a Si2-a-wcck reporters job
on New York'S East Side 10 the helm
! OF EuSsia's dcstinics. l:y the time the
frantic calls from Berlin came buaHiul;
in substantially saying. "Iiold them,
Al any cost and pr Won kuchlmanu
,ourtconsly suggested suspension OF
'lio parlcys, Leon TrotZky had given
back hit Tor hit. cNadcd every trap. and
was fully holding his ground Morally
and technically he emerged victor from
the second round OF tn" uneven battle.
TROTEI<N ENIEItGEs VICTOR FROM
SECOND HOUND OF BATTLE:
Once during the negotiations tho Eoli
ahcVik Foreign Minister scored against
the combined efforts Of tho trained
diplomats opposing him. They had
evolved a ahrcwd plan for splitting the
other side by making Trotzky acknowI-
cGEc that the Russian and Ukraiuan
dole cations were two distinct, separate g
4 als 4, .ty.l..