The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-02-15
Trotzky's Peace with Germany


acy in forcing peace with the Trotzky govern
ment, are deceiVing themselves to marked ex'
tent. Trotzky's peace terms leave the Germ hans
guessing.
Amsterdam dispatches, quoting German
newspapers, say that the Germans confess they
do not know what to do with the Trotzky peace
'Trotzky is sphinx. who presents the world
with new riddle" says the Norddeutsche ALL
gemeine Zeitung.
The Berlin Tageblatt comments:
1--WE have peace with Russia because here is
no Russian army, but it is a peace devoitl of any
solid basis and without agreement TIE quad
ripple alliance must now, as heretofore st rive aft
err definite settlement in eastern affairs, which
will facilitate the establishment of peaceful and
neighbory relations with the Russian PEOPLE"
The Lokal Anzeger declares:
1T is at once clear that it is only mother act
of one-sided statement, to which any opponent
can reply as he pleases. The demot rilization of
the Russian army is the only tangible thing ar
ranged and this cannot influence Gt.rmanys fu-
ture plans"
Between the lines may be read "a fear of the
spread of Bolshevism among the German people.
Cessation of warfare resulted, it is true, from
Trotzky's peace overture, but the spread of Boil
sheviki principles among the common people may
develop an industrial struggle which the war
party and the newspapers dread more than they
feared the Muscovite soldiers on the eastern
front.
Henry Moshowtz who knew Trotzky when he
resided in the East Side of New York, in an ar
ticle in The Outlook few weeks ago, describes
the economic views of the Russian leader, which
may be causing concern in Germany. We quote
one paragraph:
"Trotzky's internationalism is rooted in eco
nomic determinism. The world war, according to
Socialists theory, represents the collapse of the
capitalistic states in their economic rivalry for
world markets. To some of us this theory does
not sufficiently take into account complicated
race historical, moral, and psychological factors,
which Socialists dismiss with their well-worn
word theology The internationasm Trotzky
represents can be achieved only by world revolt
of the proletariat. TrotZky hopes to stimulate
this revolt by Russian propaganda among the
German soldiers. He has the abiding faith of
revolutonists in the force of the revolutionary
idea"
In this phase of Trotzky's platform turks the
fear which the Germans have for Trotzkys
peace. The Russian army has been disarmed.
Germany has made separate peace with the
Ukraine, a great eXpanse of wheat country,
which will supply the German armies with bread.
These are tangible gains for the Kaiser, but
What is to stop the spread of Bolshevism in
Germany? Trotzky's peace terms do not pre-
clude the dissemination of his propaganda
among the Kaiser's citizens. The dissatisfied
workers, soldiers. and members Of the proletar-
lat knowing what Trotzky and his followers have
accomplished in Russia already have been in
fected with the doctrines of Bolshevism.
"Trotzky is sphinx, who presents the world
with a new riddle truly remarks the Nord-
deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung. This astute Rus
sian Jew, possessed of brilliant intellect, re-
sourceful and endowed with vision perhaps has
offered the Germans peace that is greater
menace to the solidarity of the German Empire
than was the Muscovite army on the Prussan
frontier.
An observer in The Outlook believes that
there are indications that the fraternizing of the
Russian and German troops has done more to
weaken the loyalty of the Germans to the auto
cracy than to weaken the loyalty of the Russians
to international democracy, and that the anarchy
which the Bosheviki have fomented is proving
greater peril to Kaiserdom than the autocracy
which they have helped to overthrow
VorwaertS, the Socialist paper of Germany,
says the labor unrest which swept over Germany
a few weeks ago comes from fear of the work.
ers that they have been mislead Says Vor-
waerts:
ANY attempt to hold them (the workers. by
force is dangerous. All thoughts of an attempt
to force on the people aims which prolong the