An open conflict had broken out between the Petersburg Workers' and Soldiers' Deputy Councils and the Ukrainian Soldiers' Congress, sitting at Kieff, on account of the formation of an Ukrainian army.

The appointment of an "Ukrainian Army General Committee" further aggravated the conflict.
With regard to the increasing internal confusion, the growing seriousness of the nationality dispute, the further troubles in connection with agricultural and industrial questions, a detailed report dealing separately with these heads will be forwarded later.
Towards the end of November I wrote to one of my friends the following letter, which I have given _in extenso_, as it shows faithfully my estimate of the situation at the time: _Vienna, November 17, 1917._ MY DEAR FRIEND,--After many days, full of trouble, annoyance and toil, I write to you once more in order to answer your very noteworthy observations; to be in contact with you again turns my thoughts into other channels, and enables me, for the time at least, to forget the wretchedness of every day.
You have heard, you say, that matters are not going so well between the Emperor and myself, and you are sorry for this.

I am sorry myself, if for no other reason than that it increases the friction of the daily working machine to an insupportable degree.
As soon as a thing of this sort leaks out--and it does so fast enough--all enemies, male and female, rush in with renewed strength, making for the vulnerable point, in the hope of securing my overthrow.

These good people are like carrion vultures--I myself am the carrion--they can scent from afar that there is something for them to do, and come flying to the spot.

And the lies they invent and the intrigues they contrive, with a view to increasing existing differences--really, they are worthy of admiration.