RUSSSIA AND PEACE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 4 February 1918, Page 5

RUSSSIA AND PEACE

INTERVIEW WITH M. TROTSKY

Australian-N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) NEW YORKj February 2. The United Tress Petrograd correspondent bad an interview with M. Trotsky, who said: "1 believe Mr Lloyd George and President Wilson should have joined the Rus,so-German negotiations, if tbey really desired peace. Tbey would thus have smashed the main weapon by which bejmany maintains her internal discipline. The Entente s leiusal has enabled the Kaiser to show the workmen that the Allies want Germany. M. Trotsky added: "General negotiations would have created a world-wide peace sentiment, and an attempt to renew the war would have resulted in the overthrow of all Governments. That is why the Entente refused to join. They still hope to crush the Central Powers, but they do not desire to sacrifice Imperialism, inasmuch as the belligerents havo ifused to join the negotiations. President Wilson's and Mr Lloyd George s formulas were merely scraps of paper, enabling Oerman Imperialists to Batisfy their appcite at Russia's expenso. We therefore believe that tho Entente has silently approved of the Germain Brest Litovsk demands. V\e conducting the negotiations, hoping that tho Allies will still join. We are virtually at war with Rumania,because sho is shutting off our troops and seizing our provisions."