“I think, after all, the clever old man failed to appreciate the situation there.  These Bolsheviks have no longer anything in common with Adler; they are brutal tyrants, autocrats of the worst kind, a disgrace to the name of freedom.

“Trotski is undoubtedly an interesting, clever fellow, and a very dangerous adversary.  He is quite exceptionally gifted as a speaker, with a swiftness and adroitness in retort which I have rarely seen, and has, moreover, all the insolent boldness of his race.

“January 10, 1918.—­The sitting has just taken place.  Trotski made a great and, in its way, really fine speech, calculated for the whole of Europe, in which he gave way entirely.  He accepts, he says, the German-Austria ‘ultimatum,’ and will remain in Brest-Litovsk, as he will not give us the satisfaction of being able to blame Russia for the continuance of the war.

“Following on Trotski’s speech, the Committee was at once formed to deal with the difficult questions of territory.  I insisted on being on the Committee myself, wishing to follow throughout the progress of these important negotiations.  This was not an easy matter really, as the questions involved, strictly speaking, concern only Courland and Lithuania, i.e., they are not our business, but Germany’s alone.

“In the evening I had another long talk with Kuehlmann and Hoffmann, in the course of which the General and the Secretary of State came to high words between themselves.  Hoffmann, elated at the success of our ultimatum to Russia, wished to go on in the same fashion and ’give the Russians another touch of the whip.’  Kuehlmann and I took the opposite view, and insisted that proceedings should be commenced quietly, confining ourselves to the matters in hand, clearing up point by point as we went on, and putting all doubtful questions aside.  Once we had got so far, in clearing up things generally, we could then take that which remained together, and possibly get telegraphic instructions from the two Emperors for dealing therewith.  This is undoubtedly the surest way to avoid disaster and a fresh breach.

“A new conflict has cropped up with the Ukrainians.  They now demand recognition of their independence, and declare they will leave if this is not conceded.

“Adler told me at Vienna that Trotski had his library, by which he set great store, somewhere in Vienna, with a Herr Bauer, I fancy.  I told Trotski that I would arrange to have the books forwarded to him, if he cared about it.  I then recommended to his consideration certain prisoners of war, as L. K. and W., all of whom are said to have been very badly treated.  Trotski noted the point, declared that he was strongly opposed to ill-treatment of prisoners of war, and promised to look into the matter; he wished to point out, however, that in so doing he was not in the least influenced by the thought of his library; he would in any case have considered my request.  He would be glad to have the books.