The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-02
German Foreign Minister
Speaks fioneyed Words
About Russian Bolsheviki
LANSDOWNE LETTER IS
CALLED HOPEFUL SIGN
Won kuehlmann Thinks 1t
indicates VI orces of Moder-
ation' Are Gaining Ground
in Great Britain

London, Dec. 1.--From the two
central empires came important Of
fetal utterances on peace today, made
IN the respective parlan.ents.
Austria Hungary. through her pre-
mier, DR.. Won Seydler made a bid to
all the world
Germany, through her foreign min
lister. DIR. Won Kueh mann had honey
for the Boishevilei tears for Italy,
vitriol for England and France. OF
America nothing Is said in the text
so far Mt hand.
One dispatch by way OF Holland.
not quoting Kuehlmann directly saws
he asserted II was absurd to imagine
Germany would enter a peace con-
ference with Large claims"
With those states" said DIR. Won
seydler. which on the basis of the
present Russian invitation declare
themselves ready TO conclude peace
the Austro- government viii
endeavor to att ain a peace which will
be honorable for both sides and d.
rected by the principle that there
shall be no territorial or economic
oppression"
He added that Austria was willing
to concede to every country the right
or self-destinatton but reserved the
same ftefftfer- herself In rrrfer<
ence to the dual monarchy's form of
government lie ASSERTED the Austrian
people were masters of their own
fate.
In contrast with this declaration,
the speech of the German foreign
minister before the reichstag was
that OF power cha lienging a bid
rather than bidding itsaif. He said in
part;
Our eyes at the present moment
are turned TO the east. Russia set
the world ablaxe. The gang OF bu-
reaucrats and sycophants, rotten to
the core. owe ruling the weak and mis-
guided though probably well meaning
autocrat, surreptitiously brought about
the mobilization OF that cours which
was the actual ard immediate cause
OF the gigantic catastrophe which be-
fell the yozlt. s
Now. however. Russia has swept
aside the culpr.ts. The principles so
fer announced to the world by the
present rulers in Petrograd appear to
be entirely acceptable MS a basis for
REORGANIZATION 81 affairs in the east
T. reorganization which fully taking
into account the right of nations to
determine their own destinies, is CAL
culated permanently to safeguard the
essential interests OF the two great
nei~h boring nations OF Germany and
Russia"
He added that this course would be
taken lin full agreeiNent with our al
lies and with the support OF the
German people. OF Italy he said:
Nevertheless there be some who
I'm this hour of utter collapse will not
withhold sympathy from the Italian
people"
DIR. Won Kuehlmann then spoke of
the electoral and political reforms in
Germany contrasting them with con-
ditions in France and England. where
he charged a dictatorship prevails un-
der Iloyd-George and Clemenceau. He
pictured President Poincare as the
mainstay OF 'dogged desire to con-
tinuo the war"
The Marquis of IAndsdowne's let
ter he alluded to as possible hope
full sign that even in England the
forces of moderation are gaining
ground"
For the present he saw. however,
no chance OF the western allies agree
ing to peace and therefore urged the
German nation to beat force with
force until the dawn OF the better and
more humane understanding which is
beginning to appear In the eastern
sky shall arise in the nations of the
west, which are rs yet filed with
greed foe money and power"