The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-12

clared that a state Of war no longer
existed with Germany, and that or
ders had been issued to demobilize
the army.
Does that mean Russia has made
a separate peace?
What effect will it have on the
Allies?
These are the two questions that
will first arise.
It is a rather fine distinction to
draw, between making a separate
peace and declaring a state of
war no longer exists. For those who
look to Russia for military aid, there
is no difference, but in the mind of
the Bolsheviki there is a decided
difference.
One would mean making an agree
ment with the German government,
and that agreement would necessar-
lily be to yield to Germany what she
demands.
The other means that resistance
will take another form.
1t is we'll to recall once more the
one and only aim of the Bolshevik
movement. National boundaries have
no place in their scheme of things.
They want universal government
by the proletariat. The center Of
that government is now Petrograd.
From that center will radiate the in
fuence that is to spread to all Of the
world. 1t is reaching toward Fin
land now. 1t tried to enter Germany.
1t was stopped by the German lines.
But the Bolsheviki look upon every
working man in Germany as a pos
sibIe Bolshevik. II the German gen.
erals refuse to let the Russian Boil
sheviki enter Germany. very well,
they will make new BolsheviBi inside
the German lines. Then Austria,
Italy, France, England and America
are to be won over or conquered.
The net result is that the semblance
OF fighting on the eastern front is to
be changed from q war to a revolu-
ton.
1t is to be new drawing of lines.
The old cleavage was between the
and German nations. The
new cleavage will be between the
Russian and German proletariat on
the one side and the Russian and
German bourgeoisie on the other.
Such, undoubtedly, is the program
of the Bolshevik government. How
far it will get depends upon the
amount of discomfort in Germany and
the Yigor with which any uprising is
quelled.
The effect on Russia probably will
be The Inauguration Of a Reign of
Terror without parallel in the his
tory Of the world.
Five million Russian soldiers, each |
with gun and a supply of cartridges,
and each with the idea implanted in
his head that he is a general, sub |
ject to no laws but his own will, will |
return home, hungry. without clothes,
and with a bitter hatred of the
Bourgeoisie.
Unless a miracle happens, the
world, numbed with the horrors Of |
the last three years, will stand |
aghast at the chaos that seems |
on Russia. The plan Of |
the Bolsheviki to hold st. Barthol- /
omew's night butchery in Finland /
was evidence of far they may go in
their hatred of the so-caIIed capitalist
class. The mere fact that it was
planned to slaughter all of the capi- |
talist class above the age of 8 years,
shows what may be in store for the /
upper and middle class Russians.
How win it affect the Allies and
Germany?
Germany already has withdrawn
all the troops she can withdraw from |
the Russian front. Those remaining
are chiefly disorganized divisions that
are being reformed. The Russian
lines have been used as reorganiza-
ton camps.
Germany can take any territory |
that she can police. hut where. every |
has gun and revoludonist