Lenin CW-Vol. 23.pdf - From Marx to Mao

128V. I. LENINinstil belief in the possibility of such a peace under thepresent governments, and, secondly, divert attention fromthese governments’ predatory policies.War is the continuation of policy. But policy also“continues” during war! Germany has secret treaties withBulgaria and Austria on the division of spoils and continuesto conduct secret negotiations on the subject. Russiahas secret treaties with England, France, etc., and all ofthem concern plunder and robbery, robbing Germany ofher colonies, robbing Austria, partitioning Turkey, etc.The “socialist” who under such circumstances deliversspeeches to the people and the governments about a nicelittle peace resembles the clergyman who, seeing beforehim in the front pews the mistress of a brothel and a policeofficer, who are working hand in glove, “preaches” tothem, and to the people, love of one’s neighbour andobservance of the Christian commandments.There is undoubtedly a secret treaty between Russiaand England, and among other things it concerns Constantinople.That Russia hopes to get Constantinople, and thatEngland does not want to give it to her is well known.If England does give Russia Constantinople, she willeither attempt to take it from her later, or else will makethis “concession” on terms directed against Russia. Thetext of the secret treaty is unknown, but that the strugglebetween England and Russia centres around preciselythis question, that this struggle is going on even now, isnot only known, but beyond the slightest doubt. It is alsoknown that, in addition to the old treaties betweenRussia and Japan (the 1910 treaty, for instance, whichallowed Japan to “gobble up” Korea and Russia to gobbleup Mongolia), a new secret treaty was concluded during thepresent war, directed not only against China, but, toa certain extent, also against England. That is beyonddoubt, although the text of the treaty is unknown. In1904-05 Japan defeated Russia with England’s aid; nowshe is carefully preparing to defeat England with Russia’said.There is a pro-German party in Russian “governingcircles”—the Court gang of Nicholas the Bloody, the nobility,army, etc. In Germany, the bourgeoisie (followed by