Evening star., 1918-07-15

and rich peasant remembered the good
old days when trade with Germany
noufished and they longed to have
them back again.
When It appeared AZ though prom
ises and hattery had thoroughly sat
ursted the Ukrainian inteliigentsia
and the whole financial and indus
trial interests of the country were
eager for peace with the central pow
ers, and return to normal trade re-
lations, Germany played her trump
card. Germany began to play the
Ukrainians. Poles and Russians
against each other. Germany made
mercial interests provided the Ukraine
would withdraw from coalition with
the socialistio group Of Russians.
There ts not great difference be-
tween the ukrainians and Russians.
Yet Germany made the most of what
the expenditure of large sums of
money actually created q nationalistic
spirit In the Ukraine. For the first
time the Ukrainians began to con-
slider themselves not as Russians. but
as Ukrainians.
When Actual Split Came.
The actual split did not occur until
the soviet power succeeded in over
throwing Kerensky and the provision
al government. Within forty-eight
Russia the soviet group had organ
lied a gigantic propaganda bureau
for the express purpose of destroy
ing what they called the bourgeois"
government of the Ukraine.
The soviet agitators urged tho peas
ants to seize the land and divide 1t
among the peasants. They urged the
fAcf0rv Wnrknra IN aaizA cnnfpn1 of
tho industries. The agitators advo-
Gated all Of the other economic reforms
known to modern socialistic formula.
The rada set itself against disturbing
the existing order of things. 1t urged
the retention of the estates or the dis
tribution OF them gradually. 1t ad-
vocated labor unions instead Of fac
tory control.
A bitter class struggle was the in
evitabie result of the rado-soviet con-
fiict. The intelligentsia OF the Tx
raine had the moral support OF the
German as we'll as the active support
of large numbers of the Russian in
telligentsia who had ned to the Tx
raine to escape the rigors Of the first
ical Ukrainian bolsheviki. however.
had a tremendous base OF supplies
In the soviet government, which fur
nished them with money. literature
and trained agitators.
Soviet Begins Peace Move.
Then the soviet began peace nego-
tiations with Germany.
Tho soviet first attempted to bring
about a world peace. The soviet was
forced to talk peace to the army. be-
anything but peace. Any mention of
further war made the army howl
with Indignation. For no other ap-
parent reason than that the soviet
and bolsheviki were embarked on a
peace program. tho rada urged war.
support to the allied cause and were
loud in their statements as to the
necessity of making the world safe
for democracy.
The rada leaders said that the
Ukraine would fight side by side with
the allies until the bitter end. 1t
opened negotiations with France.
France recognized the rada govern
ment as the government of an inde-
pendent autonomous state. France
made a loan of 150,00o.000 francs to
the rada government. A portion of
1t was paid.
Soviet influence in the Ukraine
gained such headway that there was
formed at Kharkov Ukrainian-bol-
shevtk headquarters. which directed
the propaganda campaign against
the rada government. A secret revo-
lutionary movement was formed.
Within a week after the active revo-
lutionary movement started the rada
was dispersed. This dispersal was ac-
complished only after severe fighting,
which centered at Kief. where large
numbers of Russian officers. military
cadets and intelligentsia civilians re-
sisted the soviet forces. The soviet
1or he
units of the Ukrainian divisions of the
Russian army, although soviet Russia
sent large reinforcements. The fight
ing at Kief was intense and lasted
forty-eight hours. There were sup
posed to have been about 1000 casual
ties. The fight had all of the ele.
ments of q bitter class struggle, and
extreme brutality marked the conduct
of both sides. The Kharkov soviet
gained control Of Ukraine.