Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-05
RUSSlAN-CERMAN
BREAK EXPLAINED
First Differences Develop at Meeting
for Discussion Of Economic
Relations, Claim.
SLAvS OPPOSE TEUTON IDEAS
Refuse to Go Beyond Lines Fixed in
Armistice as Kaiser's Men Try
Play On Roads.

London. Jan. 5.-Petrograd dis
patches indicate that differences de-
veloped at the first meeting there of
the Russian and German commission
ers for the discussion of economic re-
lations. The Germans desired to reach
an understanding with the Russians
regarding regulation of railroad tran
sit between the two countries. The
Russian delegates strongly empha-
sized their unwillingness to 60 beyond
the lines indicated in the armistice
and refused to fix regulations without
precise definition as to what classes
of persons and goods the railroads
were to carry.
The Bolshevik foreign minister,
Leon Trotzky, is quoted in an inter-
view as having said that the COM
mission which is discussing prisoners
was taking up only the question of CT
william and invalid war prisoners. He
said the exchange OF able bodied war
prisoners could be undertaken only
after the signing Of peace.
A Petrograd dispatch to the Post
says very large proportion of the
German war prisoners and still larger
proportion Of the Austrians will re-
turn to their fighting fronts only I'M
der compulsion. They have not been
confined in prison camps but have
lived among the people and every
where have proved their worth in
agricultural, Industrial, commercial
and even artistic pursuits. Many of
them are getting on better than they
did at home and are more than con-
tented to remain in Russia.
Commercial Conquest On!
Furthermore it is improbable, the
dispatch says, that Germany desires
the return from Russia of a majority
of her war prisoners. She will get
back the officers and non-commis-
stoned officers in any case and many
Of them already have returned. But
for both Germany and Austria, the
dispatch continues, it is a sounder
policy to regard the rank and file of
these men as the advance guard of
commercial conquest
The correspondent adds:
Allied diplomacy is credited with
having conceded to Russia the right
to make a separate peace and with
endeavoring to save it's face by rails
ing the question of the return of Ger
man prisoners which, says diplomacy,
will be regarded as an act hostile to
the allies"
The correspondent contends that d.
plomacy would be better employed in
obtaining a strategic position in the
commercial and industrial future OF
Russia. He is convinced the country
will fall into the hands of the enter
prising and industrious Germans, not
by force of arms, but by skillful peace
penetration, and asks:
Means German Gain.
What will be the strength of that
combination of races when the man
power of 150,000,000 Russians. added
to their inexhaustible agricultural
wealth and vast mineral stores, come
under the organizing hands of the
Germans? Germany stands to gain an
undue proportion of the fruits of vic
tory"
The Petrograd correspondent Of the
Times says deep impression has
been made in PetrOgrad by the with
drawal of French and British ships
from Archangel and the breaking uI
of important French and British de,
pots there. Many Russians regard
this move as premature, believing the
present state of affairs cannot last.
The Petrograd Den publishes a de.
scription of visit to the German
lines on the Russian western front
where, it says, brisk trade is going
on among the fraternizing soldiers, tt
the accompaniment of ceaseless noise
The trading Is done by cash and bar
ter. The Germans sell goods at sus
piciously low prices. They refuse
notes issued by the revolutionaries
accepting only money issued undel
the imperial regime. The daily turn
over amounts to hundreds OF thou
sands of rubles.