New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-16
Hoffman Urges
International
War ON Soviet
Farmer German Commander
Favors Military Action by
the Powers to Overthrow
&. the Bolsheviki This Spring
Sees European Upheaval
Suggests Pershing, Joffre or
!. Foch as the Leader for
His Proposed Expedition

General Hoffman, former commander
In chief of the German armies in the
:-Esst. to the Russian paper Rul, pub
.SIshed in Berlin, in which he urged
International military action for the
overthrow OF the Soviet government:
General Hoffman's interview was cabled
only in part TO this country at the
time he gave it.
-. In the interview the former German
commander and. next to Won Kuhl-
-msnn, the leading German spokesman
n the Brest- Litovsk negotiations, urged
The formation of an international army
rorps. under the leadership of Per-
shing, Foch or Joffre, but preferably
under a Russian general, which would
advance on Petrograd in the spring
and drive the Bolsheviki out of power
Two Alternatives for Europe
General Hoffman declared that En-
rope is faced with two alternatives
either to smash Bolshevism by inter
national military action or be engulfed
.bv the Red wave.
General Hoffman gave it as his
aninion that while the Red army was
sble 10 defeat the White armies in
Russia because of the inadecuacy Of
organization of the latter and failure
20 receive proper support, it would
melt out OF sight at the appearance Of
any well organized military force.
s. General Hoffman said that 'the
whole of Europe is on the verge OF 4
conhagration" which, in his opinion,
can be averted only by united military
action OF the leading European states.
He predicted that the Bolsheviki would
attack Poland and the Baltic states in
~ would IN
German frontier with { view of pro-
yoking Communist revolution in
Germany and giving battle to the En-
tente on the Rhine.
In his general thesis General Hoff-
man supported the plan recently said
TO have been propounded by General
Ludendorff. He said, in part:
I'VE must not speak Of Russian Boil
shevism Bolshevism is not a Russian
but world problem. The tragedy of
Europe is that the Russian people did
not take part in the conclusion OF the
peace of Versailles and Russia was
eliminated from the international
orbit All the efforts of the Entente
to solve the Eastern problem and re-
turn Russia to a place in the Euro
pean concert are directed along errone-
Gus lines. Russia cannot rise under
Int RUE u LUt pOlSUeNlkl, no matter
what the efforts of the Entente may be.
Propaganda Is Widespread
"Lenine and his comrades do not de-
sire the restoration of the economic
life OF Soviet Russia. and if they are
seeking TO reopen trade relations with
the European powers they have in
mind not the welfare of Russia but the
glory of theslnternationae. I-hey-are
seeking TO establish trade relations
with the West solely for the purpose
Of propaganda Krassin in London,
Kopp in Berlin, Martens in Washing
ton and Hillerson in Prague are occu-
pied solely in Bolshevik propaganda
under the guise Of seeking to restore
trade relations.
Il spent hours in discussions at
Brest-Litovsk with Trotzky, Jotfe,
Kameneff and other Bolsheviki and !
am convinced that their only aim-for
the realization Of which they regard
any any all means as justifiabe--is
world revolution. They told me un-
equivocally that the present day state
cannot under any circumstances exist
SIDE by side with Communism and that
etner one or the other must perish.
Anoveh confirmed this view recently
at Halle and in Berlin.
Russia is faced this winter by most
cruel terror, famine and horrible cpl
denies, IN comparison with which the
suherlngs provoked by the Communist
regime up TO date will seem like
tribes. With all that, however, the
Soviet Of Peoples Commissaries will
manage TO maintain itself in the Krem-
iln Bolshevism will continue growing
stronger as long as the great powers
persist IN quarreling with each other
Victims of Own Mistakes
All the armed efforts TO overthrow
me Soviet government made hitherto
by kolchak, DenikIne and rangel-
nave simply served to strengthen the
soviet government. The leaders of the
volunteer armies have failed to meas
IRE properly the strength Of the Soviet
armies and the dexterity Of the Red
aevl The anti-Bo lshevist generals
1eh victims OF their own mistakes,
'aeir overcontidence and the com
mexitles Of the international situation
me army Of General Wrangel suffered
ee,eat chiefly because it was supported
only by France.
declare alphabetically that Bolshev-
lsm can be crushed into dust by real,
.nsernational armed force An interna-
e ,.Uuai army corps, composed, among
O'aers, OF the troops OF General Wrangel
sYaeuated from the Crimea under the
sseAefal command Of Russian, could
quluate the Soviet government in very
saosl time. Such an international
Ups beginning operations in the vi
s,aly OF Petrograd, could very soon
,,.ar Russia of its 5000 Bolsheviki l
.rs"h the 5000 commissars The rest
v,,.; SIMPLY bolshevik tools, operating
Nn I'M the Bolshevik bureaucracy.
.s, Inc international force ] suggest
seiu meet with very little resistance.
III 1t would face not . national army
"a o o composed of international scum
sau sIf-raff. l know full we'll the fight
w.. s quality of the Red army, which is
,sor,. much exaggerated. The Soviet
sfrst tes would turn to fight at the very
"'' cissn with well armed opponents.
au herman Strategists Needed
lad 1ermans do not seek to plav the
Rns.;s role IN the overthrow OF the
ma s"s tyranny. 1t is all the same to
Bolshaauw VIII lead the international anti
roeS" x army Pershing. Joffre or
,sra,.,uO the participation of German
a. s es's Is necessary TO success
She sns' you that immediately upon
ssOrns@ ppearanec OF the international
Ileap S .. near kronstadt, Narva and at
sief ,sa.soh you will ind that limo
and W. "o appeared so terrible at Halle
sorksraa0 Is feared by the frightened
steiyins u Petrograd, will, upon re-
an snne, guaranty of safety, depart for
~ psaAnown destination The Soviet
Date s;Spie's Commissaries will capitu-
kPes,o Immediately upon the fail Of
sssSgrad and Ono. '"'' -