New-York tribune., 1919-02-15
Prinkiipo
Harold Williams, IN The Neav Europe

Russia that, after nearly sacrificing its
existence in the Allied cause, is solemnIy
fouted by those whom it considered faith
full allies in the moment of their victory
and its supreme trial? One had hardly sus-
pected that it one of the objects of the
peace conference to lay the foundations of
a Russo-German alliance. And this aspect
Of the case particularly affects Great Brit
ain, since the proposal is Of British origin
In the third place, the proposal amounts
to recognition and official encouragement
of Bolshevism. The Bolsheviks are not
merely certain odd Russians who are carry
ing on, for curious internal reasons. a
troublesome civil with other eccentric
Russians. They are a group of men who
have played a very dangerous part against
US IN the war, and are now continuing the
world war in another form. They are, and
will remain, our enemies. They are provok-
ing unrest in every country in Europe, they
intend to upset the peace conference; and
our reply is to address to them benevolent
words and to invite them TO negotiated To
the restless, the tempted, the wavering in
all countries, this is extraordinary ad-
mission Of Bolshevik power 1t is the best
possible stimulus for that Boshevik propa-
ganda whose aim is to shatter all the eab-
crate plans Of the gentlemen now assembled
IN Paris and to plunge Europe into civil
war. Lenne will be quick to seize such an
opportunity as this
And, in the fourth place the proposal is
a negation Of the principles expounded in
the fourteen points. This is its most
alarming feature. The language of the
document is the language of President Will
son. The style is reminiscent of many mes
sages addressed to the Germans. But the
tenor is entirely different With the Ger
mans, who asserted the supremacy Of force
over right, President Wilson refused to ne
gotiate. He demanded complete submission
With the Bolsheviks, who assert the su-
premacy of force over right and, like the
Germans, commit abnormal crimes in the
name of their particular ideal, President
Wilson suggests friendly negotiation.
Lenine is more bitter enemy of President
Wilson than ever the Kaiser was Then
why this extraordinary difference in tone
and principle? The professions of altruism
and of friendship for the Russian people
are vitiated by this obvious anomaly. Are
the principles enuncated in the messages
to Germany not permanently valid prin-
ciples? Or are they to be regarded as
terms of political expediency? Is that ideal
of liberty and justice for which thousands
OF our soldiers have fought and died mere
pawn in political game? Certainly the
peoples whom the authors of the proposal
represent do not think so, and there can
be nothing more dangerous than to seem to
trifle with principle at such a critical mo-
ment as this, when the peoples demand a
clear and definite lead and stable peace.
The reflections awakened by this initial
act of the peace conference are extremely
depressing. Is it possible that the real mo-
titve of the proposal was desire to tenn
porize with those forces to which Bolshe-
v'sm makes its strongest appealthat it
was, in fact. confession of weakness? And
could anything be more dismayng in the
present condition of the world than that
peace conference which should have be-
gun its proceedings by strong acts and Joy