Evening star., 1918-02-24

russian. there VIII be made only be-
ginning of the real Poland: it will be
ton of sixteen of seventeen million
Poles viii be a step toward the final
restoration of that tragic people to
freedom. AS was said of Napoleon's
treatment of the Poles. this step either
goes too far or not far enough, it gives
the basis for hopes it does not realize,
and by not realizing them it opens the
way to new conflicts. But for the mo-
ment this Polish state is to exist on the
map. bound by German bonds even
though it be nominally an Austrian de-
pendency.
No Real Poland Created.
No one should be deceived by any
German propaganda into believing that
a real Poland has been created The
new scheme does not in any sense pro-
vide the Polish people with the basis of
Tree existence 1t is merely a plan for
postponing "A final settlement of the
Polish question and freeing Germany
of all charge of annexations on this
side of Europe. But actually Lithu-
ania and Poland will be two more sub
Ject states. each containing the seeds
OF a new European conflict
In addition. there is discoyerab!e in
the Brest-Litovsk plan the basis for a
settlement with Rumania. This un-
nappy state Is to receive the Russian
province of Bessarabia, and in return is
| brudja. which contains its only sea port,
Constanza- By this exchange Bulgaria,
the advance agent of the central
powers, VIII be placed on guard at the
mouth OF the Danube. and the whole
OF the south bank of this stream. from
the Iron Gates to the Black sea, will
be in the hands of Car Ferdinand.
ana 1t IS well TO remember that for the
Mltteleuropa conception the Danube
with its canals connecting it with the
Rhine. the Elbe and the Oder, is the
very lifeline of communications.
such' IN bfaeL as the bres- -1-itovsk
document. Ckrainia is created on
terms which make it future ally: Ru-
mama and Poland are reconstructed in
such fashion as to be strangled at will
since both are deprived of real control
or their outlets to the sea. Finally,
Lithuanla is erected. a mockery of a
state, solely for the purpose of giving
1iermany the mastery of all of northern
RUSSIA water exits Thus Poland
northern isusSla and Rumania are put
, al once under the economic domination
OF the Germans. while Ukrainia is to be
, controlled by her fears of invasion and
conquest by northern Pussia This is
the Brest-LitovslS settlement by which
Russia Will lose upward of 400 OOO
square miles nearly twice the area OF
France. and $4,000 900 >of neonle-as
many as lived in Austria Hungary at
the outbreak of the world war.
Effects Upon Great War.
AS to the effect of this agreement
upon .ne world war certain things are
; at least clear. As soon as communica-
tlonS can be restored-sure,y hnfore
next winter-the food problem of .be
central powers will be solved. J7krai
M MA ana humanfa viii be the gra naries
OF the central alliance. and the DANCE.
OF starvation, the perils of lone-con
tinued Driva tion. viii be abolished. Ger
many and Austria will not have the cd
spec'er OF actual want at their doors
when the win err OF 1888 comes eye,,
II the war is still going on.
IN the second place Germany and
austria viii be freed from making any
th,liltary effort in the east. They win
have to keep many troops along tbeir
new frontiers and in the states tbay
nave created. Particularly in Poland
and Lithuania will they need large par-
| rlsons both to keep out the bolsheyik
invader and to repress the risinp nf
those who will seek to Obtain for rs
iands a real. as contrasted with ma
per, freedom pa
Ent q rmany ill gain some divisions
OF Troops All her hea-y and most NJ
he" fed ar1i'ferv al jer n,nni.ion
car De diverted to the western front.
ana the prisoners hich come hack
Il ON Russia when the exchange is
compiet- n-in giva her fresh supnIias
OF labor even though they do NOT fur
nish many new recruits The majority
OF the troops available for use unon
tHe western front have long ago b en-
sent; trey cHnnot be estimat d at much
above "oo,hoo. ard this is not a great
reinforcement. But the relief from an
eastern danger. the immediate increase
IN lanor. tn eventual increase in food
suppiles-these are great gains.
+ SO Tor a limited period Of time Is
tne access of confidence among the Ger
man people that the war NAV vet he
won on the Ti7st it has been on the
east. and Relgium and Industrial north
ern France be transformed into a nrw
Lithuania and second Poland The
military party has plainly gained a
temporary support by bringing to a
successful conclusion the eastern war
and by marking its victories by such
changes on the political map as every
Germ '. i'll recognize amount to tre-
mendous accessions of territory and
population. whatever the fiction of
s"lf-determination which seeks to con-
ceal the fact by the phrase
German Schemes Now Clear,
But without minimizing the serious
effects of the eastern settlement, and
they are very serious for the allies, il |
is necessary to emphasize the corre-
spending weaknesses. Brest-Litovsk |
showed that the Germans were in fact |
seeking annexations. Trotzky and |
Lenine held on just long enough to ex-
pose to the western world the hollow |
ness of the German pretensions. Brit |
ain, France and Italy will recognize in |
the fate of Russia the purposes of the |
Germans with respect to themselves. 1t |
must nerve these nations to still more |
that defeat means dismemberment such |
ac hos rtal rrOa a In n