Proceedings of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference: the peace ...

56 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BBEST-LITOVSK CONFEBENCE.
And in spite of the artistic fencing of the representative of German
Imperialism, Monsieur von Kiihlmann could not conceal the
fact that German Imperialism intended to proclaim a resolution ot
the Barons of Courland aild an infinitesimal portion of the Polish
bourgeoisie as a resolution of the people which will mean the torturing
of the peoples to the quick, and will overwhelm them with future
obligations. * * *
,.
,
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The report' goes on to declare that if the workers of Europe only
get to know how the pourparlers at Brest-Litovsk have proceeded,
they will realize that the Russian Delegation at Brest-Litovsk is
fighting the battle of the international proletariat against German
Imperialism, and concludes:
We hope soon to receive the good news that the German and the International
proletariat will proclaim itself the judge of German Imperialism in this case
that we are conducting against it.
:
:
:
34. Session or 10 Januaet.
GERMAN ACCOUNT.
[Prom the (British) Dailij Rcricw of the Foreign Press, 14 January, 1918,
p. 577.*]
A telegram from Brest-Litovsk to the German Press (Jan. 11) f
says that the interrupted plenary sitting was continued at eleven
o'clock this afternoon I
under the presidency of Baron von Kiihlmann.
The Ukraine Secretary of State of Commerce, M. Bolubowyisch,
said
Nations exhausted and tortured by war yearn for peace. In this yearning
for peace the representatives of the Great Russian Democracy, without heeding
the attacks by Russian society and by the Press, boldly crossed the -trenches
of the belligerents in order to attain a general peace, not on the battle field
by blood and iron, but by friendly agreement between the peoples. After the
peace negotiations had begun and the principles of peace had been made known,
you rightly proposed a truce of ten days in order to give the States which
hitherto had not participated an opportunity of joining negotiations. Our
Ukrainian Republic, whose people are always inclined for peace, was the first
to answer your appeal.
The Ukrainian People's Republic, its position as a State having been settled
liy the Central Rada on Nov. 20, 1917, resumes its international existence, which
it lost more than 250 years ago, and enters now to the full extent of the rights
due to it into international relations. On the basis of the foregoing representation
of the facts, the General Secretariat of the Government of the Ukrainian
Republic considers it right to adopt an independent attitude toward the present
peace negotiations, and it has the honor to hand tlie following note to the Delegates
of the Powers represented here
The Go\('rnnient of Ihe Ukrainian People's Republic, through its General
Secretariat, brings the following hereby to the. knowledge of all the belligerent
and neutral States
The Ukrainian Peoiile's Republic was proclaimed by the Ukrainian Central
Rada on Nov. 20, 1917, and Ijy this act of State the international position of
•The Deutschcr Itcicliianrcigcr of 11 January has an account substantially identical
with this.
t Jan. 10, according to the Jlcichsaii.^ehjrr.
t Should be "forenoon," according to the ltei(hn