New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-02-08

i
The STAFF, 1t Is difficult to see wha
Use the bolsheviki have for one, since
they have been steadily disbanding
! the army.
Taken together with all the other
reports, however, the seizure of tho
headquarters at Mohilev would indi-
cate decided waning of the power
of the bolsheviki. In Finland tho
whites claim notable victories over
the reds, the latest of which is tha
capture of Uleaborg by Gen. Manner,
helm after a tWo-days battle. Fin.
nish news, it is true, comes mainly
from Stockholm, which is strongly
white in its sentiments, but bolsheviIz
claims are SO vague as not to carry
much weight against definite reporta
of the taking of towns. 1t is, OF
course, possible that the revolution
is still spreading in ways of which
we do not hear because of the rela-
tive isolation of Russia, but from tho
general trend of events one gets the
impression that outside of Russia
proper the moderatcs whom the boil
sheVilIi call reactionaries are gainin
ground.
Against the Lenine -Trotzly regir
are now apparently arrayed the II
Jority of the Firms, the Poles, Ill.,.
Ukrainians, the Rumanians, the {
sacks, and the Tartars, while G
in Russia proper new opposition
apprehended as a result of the co
fiscatory decree against the churc
which goes into effect March 1. Tho
Bolsheviki, whose strength lies in the
rJNoy Lotto 49,
but the church has q strong hold on
the Russian peasantry; such a, meas
ure could hardly fail to create pow
erful internal resistance to q govern
ment which already has as many
enemies as one government can al
ford. In this respect Lenine and Trotz-
ky have been perfectly reckless, stalk
ing everything on the expected rising
of the proletariat in all countries, and
taking no account of what would
happen if that failed to come off.
II the situation in Russia is con.
fused, no clear account comes, either,
of the progress of the peace negotia
tons. BY one account these have
been broken off, but this does not
wholly square with the report that
the German and Austrian representa-.
tives are returning to Brest-Litovsk
1t is possible, however, that the Boil
sheViki have broken off negotiations,
leaving the enemy 10 carry on their
negotiations with the Ukraine, with
Finland, and with any other Rus"
sian groups that they choose to rccoG'
nizc. This would be in line with tho
intimation that having established
relations with other Russian factions,
the Central Powers would care littl9
what the BolsheVili would do Such
an outcome would terribly discredit
the Lcninc- TrOtzky government at
home, and might strengthen there
the reactionary forces which SEEM
now to have the upper hand except
in Great Russia. In that case q
coalition might be formed which
would make peace with nationalitiea
on which the Bolsheviki are making
war. Whether it would also mako
peace with the enemy is another
question; it might depend somewhat
on whether the Ukraine had by that
time made q separate peace.
Standing alone, isolated, and FAM
ished, Russia might feel further re-
sistanco hopeless. With the aid or
Ukrainians, Cossacks, Tartars and
Poles, and the inflow Of supplies from
the less exhausted parts of the en-
pire, n passive resistance might DO
possible. Thus the issue in eastern
Europe at present depends chlef1y on
political Developments, and if things
are as unfaVorable for the Bolshevi-i
ki as thew seem, the fall of their gov
eminent at any time would give NO
surprise.