RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1917, Page 6

RUSSIA.

HOW LENIN WAS BOUGHT OVER, THE STORY OF A GERMAN INTRIGUE. COUNTESS VO>T SCHAUMBEItri'S CONFESSIONS.

Countess von Sehaumborg, who was engage;! in the Kaiser's secret diplomatic service, tells in sensational "confessions," amongst other tilings, the story of how she was dispatched to Berne for the express purpose of endeavoring to win over Lenin to assist Germany's plots' in Russia. She found Lenin anil his followers in sore financial straits, and proceeded to win them over to assist German aims. By flattery, monetary assistance and other menus she soon had Lenin in bonds, to such an extent that not only was he ready :ind willing to fall in with her plans, but expressed his intention to divorce his wife and marry the beauteous and fascinating countess, a proposition most repugnant to the lady, who found the Russian agitator a most repulsive creature. Having secured Lenin's assurance of support the countess was informed from headquarters that he must be induced to return to Russia via Berlin, The "Confession" then proceeds as follows: I sent for Prince von Bulow, and we had a long conference. While we were holding it. instructions came: I was to bring Lenin to Berlin at all costs. The instructions carried the mark which told us both that they were the persona! orders of the Kaiser; and as the Prince pointed out to me, were worded in the most unambiguous manner. It was evident that his Majesty had known and considered what the cost to me might be. I thought, the Prince looked at me a little compassionately: he had seen and appraised this dog of a Lenin. "Have no fear, excellency," I said, in answer to his look, "I can handle him without any great difficulty. "In any case, gracious lady," he answered, "the reward will be commensurate Willi the sacrifice." "Pay, rather," I suggested, "with the result attained:" "You arc right," he said, frowning. "'A 11-highest docs not reward well-in-tentioned failure, even if it involves supreme sacrifices.'' I knew that he spoke from bitter personal knowledge, and thought it well to say no more. The matter of inducing Herr Lenin to visit Berlin on his way to Russia was (bus confided ta my sole charge, and from the outset I experienced irritating and unexpected difficulties lie and his friends were in a state of hia'h exaltation, which did not abate as the shameful accounts of the arrest of the Russian Emperor and his family came to their hands. Lenin spoke of bis Majesty the German Emperor witli loathing, and only listened to, me when I said that many in Berlin were of his opinion, and that lie must, »eize the opportunity to encourage them by a personal visit. He replied that such a visit could be deferred until aft n r he had set everything right in Petrograd. I introduced the question of money carefully and cautiously, and was rewarded by seeing the light of avarice in his eves; but then lie disclosed to me what was really in his mind. Ilis friends in Russia were plundering royalties, and he wished to hasten back there for his share of the spoils.

In the end I had to throw into the balance of my own personal entreaties, a dangerous course to take with such a mail. It was inevitable as both the Kaiser and Prince von Bulow had probably foreseen, knowing in their wisdom more than I about the state of mind of a common fellow such aa Herr Lenin under the circtimstauces in which he then found himself.

I oovered him with reproaches, and asked him what had become of the love lie avowed for me if he would not accompany me to Berlin. I wept passionately in his arms, and denied him my lips and my face. In the end I extorted a promise from him. ■ More elated than ever, lie rushed back to his crazy band, and soon had gathered together a dozen or more who were willing to accept our German safe-conduct for a journey to Russia through Berlin. Up io the very moment of the departure of the train lie wavered continually, and shov/cd signs of breaking his promises, so that, it became my duty to travel in public with him and his rabble of followers from Switzerland to Berlin. When I learned that he was to be interviewed by Herr HelfTerich himself immediately upon his arrival in Berlin I recognised with gladness that our Emperor had recognised the great possibilities of the man and the position. I myself hastened to report to the Princess, who is our head, and to urge that I should now be relieved from a task which had become so very unpleasant. She listened to me with sympathy, but turned upon me the stern face of the patriotic German woman. "Tlie man can perhaps bo dazzled with money and with promises, Hilda," elio said, ''but you must remember tlie terms of the war vow of our order: "My life for the Kaiser." I had hoped to escape from Berlin without seeing hini again, but it was not to be. He came to me with a false look in his eyes, and—l could scarcely believe my cars—excuses upon his lips. I could have cried with relief to hear him. Piiissia was crying for his presence, ho said, and the sacred blood of its millions implored him to preserve it unshed. Our own happiness was a secondary matter ; in time lie would divorce his inconvenient wife and come back to Germany to do me the honor of making me his wife. lie did not need to tell me the truth; he had in very certainty been dazzled with gold and with the promise that he should handte the Judas price that was to be paid to others like him.