Points Raised by Trotsky at Peace Conference.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6965, 21 January 1918, Page 3

Points Raised by Trotsky at Peace Conference.

London Jan 18

i M. Trotsky, Bolshevik Foreign Minister, at Morday's sitting of tlie j Austro-Gerrnan-Bussian Comtnissiou, took a note of the declaration of Dr I you Kuhlmauu, German Foreign j Minister, that territorial negotiations | rested exclusively with the political | will of the German Government, M. i Trotsky denied that his Government outlawed anyoue, and iv differing, added that when. Kutnania resorted to force on Russian' territory agaiDst the revolutionary sole 1 iers and workmen he and his fellow delegates recommended the Petrograd Government to arrest the Ambassador and staff, and he was informed that this had already been done. Dr Kuhlmann emphasised that Baron Hertling, German Chancellor, had issued instructions regarding the whole field of foreign policy. /There, was no divergence between Kuhlmann's and Hoffman's conceptions. The fundamental difference between the Central Powers aud the Russian delegation was that the Central Powers wished to see an orderly state arising iv those regions without a break or violent transition. They opposed the idea uf creating a vacuum and, allowing tho establishment of <a state within a vacuum. M. Trotsky deuied that the withdrawal of army occupation would create a vacuum. The peoples of Poland, Lithuania, and Courland would in nowise find themselves in .a difficult political situation if the army were withdrawn finally. At Dr Kuhlmanh's instance it was agreed to discuss the four Russian points seriatim. •' .