New-York tribune., 1922-02-20
Charges lenine
TriedBlac<rnail
Against Berlin
B Bernhard Insists Russia
Sought to Force Granting
of Concessions by Threat
of Treaty With France
Radek Sows Suspicion
Bolshevik Envoy Accused
of Attempt TO Obtain
De and : by a Ruse
By Joseph ShapIcn
r. Virclcss to The Tribune


BERLIN, Feb. 19.-Whatcvor else
Karl Radek. Bolshovik propagandist
may have accomplished in Berlin on
behalf of Moscow in the diplomatic in
trigucs he was the center of here. he
certainly sowed suspicion and bcwilder-
ment among many who plan to meet
the Moscow delegates face to face at
the Genoa economic conference.
Gcors Bernhard, who s close to the
German Foreign Office and enjoys the
confidence Of Chancellor Wirth. Wal
ther Rathcnau and leading Industrial
lists, sets forth this view to-day in the
"Nossische Zetung
ut is difficult to draw conclusions as
to what Radek's intentions really
were Bernhard writes, in the in
Vulnerable conversations which that
volatile, volublc. mercuris man had
with various persons while he was in
Berlin"
Made Offer to Paris
Bernhard accepts in general the an
nouucemcnt that the Bolsheviki made
some kind o. offer to Paris through
Radek- However, Bernhard says Radok
tired to convey the impression that the
overturcs came from France rather
than from Russia. Radek coupled his
hints with the indication that Moscow
would prefer to conclude d pact with
Germany rather than France In other
words, Bernhard thinks that Radek
tried piece Of hlackmail in order to
force the Germans to grant RUSSIA
greater concessions than the Berlin
government wants to give. and at the
same time to come to some sort Of
understanding with France Bernhard
continues:
"lndeed Radek seems to have ex-
pressed the wish 20 come TO terms
somehow Jointly with Germany and
France On the German side there was
a strong Inclination to deliver the
goods direct to Russia on the basis Of
az independent agreement. Negotia-
tons also took place with German in
dustrial groups under the patronage
of the German gov rnment, in which
apparently the greatest difficulty arose
from the demand Of Radek that Ger
many supply Russia with loan of ma
tcrials with which to start her fac
tories"
From Bernhard's statement it is
clear that Radek played strongly on
Anglophobe tendencies, using the argu-
ment that England supports the Boil
sheviki only with the idea that this
Will prevent the establishment OF
really strong government in Russia
and Russia viii be kept weak enough
that British interests in India viii
not be menaced. Bernhards conolu-
sion is:
Germany must observe the most
extreme caution in handling the Rus
sian problem and test carefully all
the suggestions made by the Bolshe-
wiki
Declared Impossible to Trust
The trend o. Bernhard's argument
is that it is impossible to trust the
Bolsbeviki because no one ever knows
what is behind their intrigues.
"Gcrmaria,' chief organ OF the
Chancellor party likewise scents
Changers Tor Germany in the back
ground Of Moscows diplomacy.
Another side of R2deks activities in
Berlin is revealed in the publication OF
q letter by Rudolph Breitscheid, leader
of the Independent Socialists, in which
he brings out that Radeh urged the
radicals not to overturn the Wirth
sovernmont in the recent Reichstag
crisis. Breitscheid says that in per-
sonal conversation with him Radek
asserted that the fall of the Wirth
government at that iuncture was not
desirable. Kadek told Breitscheid
that soviet government in Germany
was hardly possible at this moment
and that the overthrow Of Wirth
would greatly conDlirate tho fora;o,
situation.
This is the first case on record in
which Moscow's spokesman not only
did not urge revolution in another
country but actually asked support
for a bouronnis CahinaA