New-York tribune., 1919-04-05
Russia

not through Germany, as the world has
supposed, nor through peace palace at
Geneva or Brussels, as rd-juggling
rhetoricians assume.
The new war arch has one foot in
Germany and the other in Southeastern
Europe, but the keystone is Russia.
With Russia as a centre the war makers
may deploy on either flank.
Let us consider Russia. Two years
Western Allies because after long
night of German political and economic
domination the Slav was master in his
own house. and the Slay, with reasons
born of n thousand years of oppression
and exploitation, does not like the Teu-
ton. When another Slavic nation brave
and indomitable Serbia, was about to be
forced under the Teuton yoke, Slavic
Russia vbrated with sympathy. The de-
mand for action reached to and con-
troiled the Germanized court, and COM
PEELED a German Gar with German
consort to espouse Serbia's cause.
The Teutonized Russians temporarily
scuttled, but soon the rats were at work
again. The Russian army was largely
oficered by pro-Germans and the bureau
cracy almost wholly so. The weak Gar
found himself against his will almost
traitor to his allies and his country. The
war administration arranged for Ger
man victories. The plan was to make
separate peace by which Russia would
automatically become an ally of Ger
many, and Sturmer was appointed Prime
Minister to do the business. Then came
thet terrific exposure of the plot by
Miliukoff, and Slavic Russia was once
more in power, but in the general sus-
picion the czarship went down. Milu-
koff, Lvov and Rodzianko, genuine Rus
slams, assumed charge in the name of
the Duma.
But Germany had another shaft in her
quiver. Denied the agents she preferred,
she might destroy the new Slav, pro-
Ally government. Lenine and his asso-
ciates, men with made-in-G Germany ideas,
we're on the German payroll They were
brought back on German trains, given
money and put to work. If they sue
ceeded, Germany knew Russia would be
in her power. If they failed, the Ger
man court party would probably come
back to power. Germany could not lose.
Scheme No. 1 succeeded, and although
Germany did not get all she wanted be-
meath it was early evident that the
Lenine governments policy and DEGREES
were as if prepared in Berlin The Rus
sian army was demobilized and shame
full separate peace of betrayal, written
by Germany, was signed. Since then
practically all international acts of Boil
shevist Russia have been in Germany's
interest. The Red army of Russia is now
Germany's chief protection.
So much for the past. What Of the
future? Lenineism, so far as it sets up
what is called social republic, is a self
confessed failure. Lenine in words is
still doctrinaire, but he begs food and
supplies from capitalstic countries
which produce surplus, because his
social republic is not able to produce
enough to keep famine away To hold
to political power he abandons his in
ternal programme. No more than John
of Leyden or the Turkish Messiah does
he act as he preached. Boshevism is
using seven-league boots in race to be
bourgeoisie. The name may remain and
men may be fooled by it, but Lenine
himself has no illusions.
If Lenine nominally stays the Germans
will oblige by arranging government
that will make an alliance with Russia
easy. Kautsky is now in Russia negoti-
ating. No unbridgeable chasm separates
Ebert and Scheidemann from Ienine and
Trotzky.
On the other hand, if there is then
! such counter revolution, and Lenine
goes the way Of Robespierre, Russia will
probably revert to the Teutonized Rus
SLAMS, and then Germany will be glad
TO arrange her government to suit. As
one can see Lenine and Scheidemann
embracing, 10 it is not difficult to imagine
Hindenburg and KoIchak drinking toasts
TO each other.
Germany still has two interacting
pollcies-one Western and the other
Eastcrn. To further the first she seekg
TO divide the Allies. To further the sec.
ond she seeks Russia as an alIy. II She
gets Russia and Austria and Hungary.
she viii ultimately get Poland and
1zecfo-Slovakia, for the ncw states win
be surrounded and rcouorofcaIf,, .+.aaa