Saturday, February 1, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE of the independent Soviet Republic of Ukraine. After and in the entire Abchasie (South Caucasian Moun of the Union of Mountain Tribes of North Caucasia, the German troops had occupied all points belonging tain region. The advance of the Germans and their with the proclamation of their independence, while in to the Ukraine, they continued to advance still further allies in the Kuban regions (the western part of reality, North Caucasus was in the hands of the adin the direction of Moscow and even occupied the North Caucasus) had already started.
herents of Soviet Russia, who rejected the proposisouthern part of the Russian governments of Tversk And in this critical moment the demand was made tion and Woronesj.
of us to order the return of the Black Sea fleet from The independent Georgians permitted Germany to Therefore, the question of determining a line of Noworossisk to Sebastopol.
transport her troops over the Georgian railroad, which demarkation on the Ukrainian front, which would As a result of further negotiations, we received the opened the way to Baku, on the Caspian Sea, for Gerdetermine the limits of the German advance, was quite guarantee from Germany that ships would not be many.
acute, especially on the front near Worones. where used during the war and that after the conclusion of The Turkish troops were, as we know, in the Germany first demanded the occupation of some a general peace they would be returned to Russia. At Armenian regions, in the beginning of July, 1918, districts, but later only the occupation of the Waloe the same time, the troops would not advance further where a strong Armenian movement was operating iki district, with the important strategic railroad junc upon the entire line of demarkation on the Ukrainian against them.
tion of Woronesj. The question of the line of de front, which was similar to the real position of the The question of the Caucasus was placed upon the markation was closely connected with the question occupation at the beginning of the Ukrainian nego order of the day of the Political Commission conof cessation of hostilities, and this was the beginning tiations, which did not extend beyond Walveki upon vened at Berlin (German and Soviet representatives. of negotiations with the Ukraine, the Woronesj frontier and stopped at Batasjk (oppo The question of economic relations between Germany On March 30, the Ukrainian Rada addressed us site Rostof) upon the Southwestern frontier. In case and Russia was determined on one side by the neceswith the proposition to commence negotiations, and we refused, the advance to Koeban would continue, sity of the liquidation of losses through Czaristic war the German government repeatedly pointed to our and besides we were told that the possibility of eco measures and through the social legislation of the Ocobligations as laid out in the treaty of Brest to con nomic and political agreements, the order to cease all tober revolution in regard to German property in clude a peace with the Ukraine. From our side, we advances upon the Ukrainian frontier, and even the Russia, and on the other side by the necessity for the proposed opening negotiations at Smolensk (between beginning of the work of the joint commission in Ber creation of mutual economic ielations in both counMoscow and Brest. Although we sent our propo lin, depended upon our consent to the return of the tries. The treaty of Brest Litovsk obligated us to pay sition directly to the Rada in Kief, and also to Berlin, Black Sea fleet from Novorossisk to Sebastopol. indemnity for the losses of German citizens during the our proposition did not reach the Rada in Kief soon The question of the return of the fleet thus became war through the liquidation of their undertakings, or enough, and it was not until April 16th that the Rada the centre of the whole German diplomacy against us, through the cessation of payments of dividends and sent us a courier with a note proposing to conduct so that they might influence the whole further pro interest on loans. The execution of these obligations the negotiations at Tversk (halfway between Moscow gress of our relations. The return of a part of the demanded from us the creation of a department that and Kief. whereto our delegates rapidly departed. fleet to Sebastopol on June 18 and the sinking of the should investigate the German claims. This departThe peace delegation of the Ukraine came out to rest on June 19 made an end of this critical event. ment is now in existence as the Liquidation DepartWorosjby (half way between Twersk and Kief. but Quickly upon this, the commission in Berlin, which ment of the Peoples Commissariat of Trade and Inthe constant hostilities made it impossible for the had not convened for a long time, began to hold dustries, and functions with success.
delegates to meet. At this time, the Kief Rada was sessions, and the advance of the German troops upon If. therefore, the settlement of such obligations, displaced by the government of Skoropadski, and the Ukrainian front ceased. The negotiations procaused by the Czaristic war measures, occurs less rapGermany insisted that the negotiations be transferred gressed even more rapidly. Three days after our idly than wish, which gives the German government to Kief, here they commenced on May 2nd.
consent was obtained for the return of our fleet, on occasion for constant complaints, then this is not The first question to be acted upon was the question June 12, a general armistice with the Ukraine was caused by the partial defects of our department alone of an armistice. The most important question, how concluded. On June 17, an agreement concerning (these defects are now eliminated. but by the fact ever, was the determination of a line of demarkation, the line of demarkation of the Northern Ukrainian that the Russian bourgeoisie strives to take advantage We had repeatedly in the past made the question of front was arrived at, and representatives were sent to of our obligations to the Central Powers, and endetermination of the boundaries of the Ukraine a Vitebsk to determine upon this line of demarkation. deavors by all kinds of fictitious contracts to make de topic for discussion, as we considered this matter as The most important point in the peace negotiations mands upon us. The question of payments of interest on old loans, dividends, etc. cannot be separated most important, having to reckon with far reaching was the question of the boundaries of the Ukraine.
consequences in case of an unfavorable conclusion. It was agreed that the fate of those parts over which from the question of our other obligations, caused by social legislation, and, likewise cannot be separated On March 29, we received a telegram from the no agreement could be reached should be decided by a from our duty to support our prisoners of war in German assistant secretary Busche, in answer to our referendum, held under conditions that would guaranGermany.
queries, explaining that the circumference of the Uk tee the free and unhampered expression of the people.
raine was temporarily determined upon, nine governThe advance of the Turks, and later, of the Germans, Our social legislation endeavors to unite the princiments being added to the Ukraine.
in the South, was made easy through the policy of the pal sources of the economic life of the country and When the negotiations concerning an armistice Trans Caucasian government (Social Revolutionary place them in the hands of the Workers and Peasstarted, the Ukrainians demanded much more. They and Menshevik) a government supported by the priv ants Soviet. Many of these sources are in the demanded that the line of demarkation be extended ileged classes of the population, who had adopted a hands of foreign subjects. If we nationalize these branches of industry, then we are compelled to comfurther to the North and to the East, so that they hostile attitude against Soviet Russia. After the atpensate the German subjects for their losses. Our occupy eight more districts. They wanted especially tempts of the Russian Soviet government to enter into the government of Woronesj, making fourteen dist communications with the Trans Caucasian govern local Soviets do not always understand that the inricts, with a population of three million, to be given ment did not materialize, Germany offered her media terests of the State of Workers and Peasants does them.
tion for regulating the relations between us. After not demand the indiscriminate confiscation of everyThe extreme moment in the negotiations occured we had agreed to this, Count Mirback proposed that thing that happens to be there, but a suitable nationalizsimultaneously with the critical moment in the South, we send our delegation to Kief for the negotiations ation of such industries as are necessary for tis. from with the critical moment upon the Black Sea, when with the Trans Caucasion government. However, we the standpoint of the general economic plans of the Germany demanded that the Russian fleet near Nowo proposed that we meet in Vladikavkas (in Caurossisk return to Sebastopol. The Germans did not casia) and we insisted that the negotiations be directThe indiscriminate nationalization of all possible limit their military forces to the nine governments lv between the Russian Soviet Republic and the Trans kinds of moving picture houses and apothecaries, the added to the Ukraine on March 29th, but occupied formed us that the representatives of the Trans CauCaucasian government. Finally Count Mirback in requisition of foreign property without plan, without a direct necessity, caused the State of Workers and Tagenrog and Rostof, on the Don (both of the Sea of Azof) on May Their further advance came to casian government, Vatshabelli and Tseretelli, were on Peasants to pay damages which run into hundreds their way to Moscow, and that the German govern of millions.
a halt at the important railroad junction Batarsk (opposite Rostof on the Don. which was occupied by between us commence.
ment cherished the urgent wish that the negotiations To Be Continued a Soviet army.
But the Trans Caucasian government collapsed. The on April 22, the German troops had already invaded the Crimea and had more extensively occupied the government of Tseretelli, sent a representative, Georgian National Council, which took the place of The Revolutionary Age Book Department the peninsula of Tauri, while a certain part of our RUSSIA AND THE LEAGUE Mr. Khvendadste, to Moscow, with whom, however, Black Sea fleet had time to live for Noworossisk. We OF NATIONS received a number of notes from Germany, wherein we did not start negotiations. We knew that the govThe Soviets note to President Wilson and ernment of the independent Georgians represented she complained of hostile treatment in different places only the privileged class and that the masses did not Russia reply to the Neutral Countries.
upon the Black Sea, where ships belonging to our wish nor recognize the separation from Russia. We also Price 5c each.
Black Sea fleet were destroyed. CHAPTERS FROM MY DIARY received the report that fictitious representatives of On the South, the Turkish army advanced into the the Mussalman of Askhabatz (the Trans Caucasian By Leon Trotzky Caucasian regions, occupied Alexandropol (south of region bounded by Persia) represented themselves as Price 100 each.
Tiflis) and threatened Baku, while southern Trans an independent government, while we knew very well Ready shortly Caucasia sent troops against Soviet Russia, against that the masses of the people did not wish to separate The Social Revolution in Germany the adherents of the Soviet movement in the vicinity from Russia. The German government also informed By LOUIS FRAINA of Sackhum (in South Caucasia on the Black Sea. us of the contents of a manifesto of a government state.