ther, 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.

"_January 11, 1918._--Forenoon and afternoon, long sittings of the
Committee on territorial questions. Our side is represented by
Kuehlmann, Hoffmann, Rosenberg, and a secretary, in addition to myself,
Csicserics, Wiesner, and Colloredo. The Russians are all present, but
without the Ukrainians. I told Kuehlmann that I only proposed to attend
as a second, seeing that the German interests were incomparably more
affected than our own. I only interpose now and again.

"Trotski made a tactical blunder this afternoon. In a speech rising to
violence, he declared that we were playing false; we aimed at
annexations, and were simply trying to cover them with the cloak of
self-determination. He would never agree to this, and would rather
break off altogether than continue in that way. If we were honest, we
should allow representatives from Poland, Courland, and Lithuania to
come to Brest, and there express their views without being influenced
in any way by ourselves. Now it should here be noted that from the
commencement of the negotiations it has been a point of conflict
whether the legislative bodies at present existing in the occupied
territories are justified in speaking in the name of their respective
peoples, or not. We affirm that they are; the Russians maintain they
are not. We at once accepted Trotski's proposal, that representatives
of these countries should be called, but added that, when we agreed to
acce