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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16039, 25 January 1918, Page 2

The Bolsheviks care nothing about the war and arc quite indifferent as to whether the Allies oj' the Central Powers prove victorious. Their object is to put an end to the existing conflict as soon as possible and substitute for it, not a general peace, but a new w\ir between the classe's in every country of Europe and, if possible, elsewhere. In this Dominion we. have, heard talk from the Bed Feds about the class war, and Lenin and his friends in Russia have succeeded in carrying the idea out niost successfully. From what wo have hoard of Bolshevik methods in Russia, and we have not heard of a fraction of the outrages, murders, and robberies thqt have taken place. New Zealand must be firmly resolved that there shall be no class war In this Dominion. The Bolsheviks plainly state that they desire to have no relations with the Governments of other countries which they allege are in the hands of the bourgeoisie, or middle class, but that they desire to establish relations with the proletariat, the continental term for what we call the workers. They seek in fact to stir up civil war everywhere in order to secure objects which would reduce our civilisation to a state of anarchy. The Bolshevik representative in England is already in touch with the British Socialists and is endeavouring to cause trouble at the Labour Conference. The British Government, in spite of protests from pacifists like Mr. Trevelyan, is limiting the activities of this Russian anarchist. The European governments 'are threatened on one side by the Scylla of German military domi nation and on the other by the Charybdis of an outbreak of anarchy similar to that in Russia. To the Allies German domination is the real danger, though foolish pacifists and labour extremists may cause some trouble; to Germany and Austria the possibility of a civilian rising as well as defeat in the field is an ever present nightmare. Victory in the field would remove the risk of civil war and Germany will make the most determined efforts to secure it.

Until the rumours are o&cially, or at least authoritatively, confined it is not safe to build touch upon the reported revolution in Austria. Nevertheless there is nothing wildly improbable about the rumours, which- may indeed prove to have a good solid foundation. That there have been serious strikes, consequent upon strong disaffection, is beyond doubt, and though the strikers may, , many of them, have returned to work in response to Government promises, still the leaven of unrest is there and) is certain to Aontinnoia K.otikyqHd .ualesa, the.

provocative causes avo removed or mitigated the working is likely to become more pronounced. There has long existed throughout Austria-Hungary a feeling that Germany has simply made a tool of hei; principal ally. It is beyond question ' that the Austrb-Hungarian armies and popples have suffered more than the Germans, and it can easily be believed that there, is an exceedingly bitter feeling in tho Dual Empire against Germany on this account. The fraternising that has talcen place between tho opposing armies lias also in all probability led to the revolutionary spirit among tho Russian soldiers extending to the Austro-Hungarians, so that there is some ground for accepting the, rumours of a revolution as worthy of belief. But whether the revolution comes to a head or not the disturbed conditions of things must he causing the, German High Command some anxiety. Germany cannot afford now to throw away a single point in the game. She will want every man, every gun, and every shell to ward off a disastrous defeat. Every munition factory that is closed on account of a strike, even for a day. reduces her ability to stand up to the Allies. Nor does it matter much whether the defection occurs in Germany or Austria; it all counts for loss of strength. But it would be a great mistake for the Allies on this account to relax for one moment their efforts and preparations to strike a decisive blow as soon as the opportunity arises. There is more than a suspicion that the enemy allows ' tho reports of his internal troubles to roach England and France in the hope that they will foster either a similar spirit or a spirit of over-con-fidence in those countries. That must be guarded against most carefully.