Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-07
POLITICAL CRISIS ON,

? POLITICAL CRISIS ON.
A Copenhagen dispatch to the Ex-
change Telegraph company says that
the crisis between the central powers
and Russia because of the Bolsheviki
demand that peace negotiations be dis
cussed in a neutral country is having
a powerful effect in German politics
and is likely to lead to sharp conflict
between the center and socialist par
ties. Newspapers, such as the Nation
al Zeitung and the Deutsches Zeitung,
claim that advances have taken place
between the national liberal and the
center parties and that they are likely
to lead to new developments in the
German policy.
The Bolsheviki have dealt a knock
out blow to secret diplomacy.
Whether they have accomplished any
thing else, they have undoubtedly
fixed the form which future peace ne
gotations will take.
A good evidence of this is the wide.
spread satisfaction expressed by the
entire British press over the manner
in which the Russian delegation at
Brest-Litovsk dragged the German
proposals into the sunlight, thereby
with a single stroke proving tie false
ness Of the German preteusions more
effectively than could years of allied
propaganda,
= u
Recognition Not Soon.
The shrcwdness displayed by Joffe's
delegation in out-maneuvering Won
kuehlmann and other leading diplo-
uatists OF the central powers together
with the continual indications of re-
soureefulness with which Trotzky is
meeting changing conditions inside
Russia unqucstionably is affecting
allied opinion favorably. The per-
sistent talk of allied or at least British
recognition OF the Lenine government
is sign of this, for such suggestion
would not have been tolerated week
ago. %' - y
It is not believed such a recognition
is imminent and the Bolsheviki them
selves apparently don't insist upon it.
Litvinof, recently appointed ambas.
sador to Great Britain, has announced
he considers himself accredited by
the Bolsheviki to the British people
not the government. .+..
Change In Policy.
What is more probable than the
immediate official recognition OF the
Lenine government is some sort OF
working agreement pending the re-
storation of order in Petrograd.
The departure of Ambassador Bu.
chanan from Petrograd has rendered
such action possible. Whik he was
there in the capacity of ambassador,
he naturally was unable to deal with
anything less than a recognized gov
ernment. There is new and inter-
esting light thrown on one feature of
the Russian situation by certain dis
patches today from Petrograd, which
allege efforts are being made by con.
servative elements to establish COM
munications with Austro- German
delegations.
Ukrainians Battle Germans.
Stockholm, Jan. 6.--The Ukrainians
are The Yankees of Russia" and in
them Prince Leopold OF Bavaria met
his match when he tried to get chatty
at Brest-Ltovsk. The Ukrainian re-
public's three peace delegates an
swered the princes questions with
the utmost suavity and apparent d.
rectness but left the prince no wiser.
Delegate Gasenko says: THE Ger
mans showed amazing interest in the
Ukraine's army, and the sEe and To-
cation of our detachments. ." The dele
cations leader, Levitsky, adds: more
than anything else the Germans were
interested in our army's size, type OF
weapons and all similar matters"
Prying Into Secrets.
Prince Leopold deftly chose his
method Of questioning with Gasenko.
The prince asked; What is your
trump card?"
Warm love of our fatherland.'
The prince said: Il beg your par.
don. you must have misunderstood
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