Ludendorff declared that the negotiations with Russia must be concluded within three days, and when a telegram from Petersburg was picked up in Berlin calling on the German Army to rise in revolt Herr von Kuehlmann was strictly ordered not to be content with the cessions already agreed to, but to demand the further cession of the unoccupied territories of Livonia and Esthonia.

Under such pressure the leader of the German delegation had not the power to compromise.

We then arrived at the signing of the treaty with Ukraine, which had, after much trouble, been brought to an end meanwhile.

It thus appeared as if the efforts of the Foreign Minister had proved fruitless.

Nevertheless he continued his discussions with Trotski, but these still led to no result, owing to the fact that Trotski, despite repeated questioning, persisted in leaving everything vague till the last moment as to whether he would, in the present circumstances, conclude any peace with the Four Powers at all or not.