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With apologies for its length, a transcription of the attached commentary by Sakai Toshihiko 堺利彦 on Itō Chūta's attached sketch titled "Ebert Falls, Liebknecht Rises" (エーベルト亡びリープクネヒト興る) would be very much appreciated. The context of the sketch is the leftist uprisings that broke out in Germany following the WW1 armistice and the possibility of the Social Democratic Chancellor, Frierich Ebert being overthrown by the Spartacist (Bolshevik inspired) Karl Liebknecht in early January 1919. Other than a few phrases such as 世界を征服 (world conquest) and Sakai's sarcastic closing using the expression 安んずるべし "rest assured," my attempted transcription is a mess.

To the trained eye, this is just ordinary handwriting.

エといひ、リといひ、個人の興亡は大した問題でない．リは殺されたが独逸共産党は着々として勢力を長ばしている。そして，第三インターナショナルが世界を風靡しかけている。但し、日本は外だ。御安心あるべし。

“E” or ‘R’—the rise and fall of individuals is of little consequence. Though “R” was killed, the German Communist Party is steadily expanding its influence. And the Third International is on the verge of sweeping the world. Japan, however, is an exception. You may rest assured.

Regards,
I.Nagy

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