Arizona republican., 1917-07-30
SAYS RE|CHSTAG
 PLAN FUR PEACE
 FAR FROM BLUFF
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

VIENNA (via Copenhagen), July 29. -Reterating that Austria was ready to accept an honorable peace but that the dual monarchy in conjunction with it's allies, would fight to the last extremity if the entente powers declined to enter negotiations on the basis of a peace by understand ing. as recently outlined by the German imperial chancellor and the relchstag, Count Ottokar CZernin von ChudenltZ, the Austro- Hungarian foreign minister in an interview today discussed at length peace possibilities
 The Austrian statesman took occa- sion to reply to the speech made by David Lloyd George in London July Fl, when the British premier characterized the address delivered in the reichstag by Dr. Michaelis, the German chancel- Tor as a sham The count said Mir. Lloyd George was mistaken when he interpreted the reichstag peace plan to be a bluff"
 "The chancellor and the reichstag,' ' the foreign minister said, declared that Germany was conducting a de- fensive war and that the German peo- pie only asked for an honorable peace by means of an understanding and an agreement offering the basis for a last ing reconciliation of the nations. Ihe chancellor and the reichstag solemnly declared that the German people de sired nu forced conquest and abhOrred economic isolation and indictment to enmity between nations after the war.
 q must reply to Premier Lloyd George with the question. What are We finally to expect from the en- tente| What we desire is quite evil dent from the well known declarations made in Vienna and from the demon strations by the German people show ing that complete agreement exists to the very last detail between Vienna and Berlin.
 What the chancellor and the reich stag declared is what l described months ago as an honorable peace, which the Vienna government is ready ! to accept, and whereby it seeks last | ing reconciliation of the nations. But there also exists the complete agree ment that we never shall accept | peace which is not honorable for us.
 If the entente does not wish to enter negotiations on the basis which we have clearly indicated we shall con- l tinue the war and fight to the last eX- tTemity.
 q don't care whether this admission is regarded as a sign of weakness or of strength. To me it seems only a sign | of common sense and morality which revolt against the idea of prolonging | the war l am absolutely convinced the entente will never succeed in crushing us and, since in our position of defense 1 we have no intention of crushing the ] enemy, the war will end sooner or later 1 in a peace of understanding. But tc my way of thinking the natural con | clusion is that the further sacrifices and suffering imposed on all humanity are useless and that it is necessary il | the interests of humanity to reach {
 peace by understanding as soon a! possible.
 AS we have fought in conjunction with our faithful allies, so we shal | make peace in conjunction with then
 now or later and we shall fight in con junction with them to the last eXtrem ity unless the enemy shows a willing
 ness to understand our viewpoint.
 q shall not put the question who wa! responsible for the war, because it i!
 useless to discuss the past in this con
 nection. But I shall speak of the flu
 ture and I wish to express the desir
 that the world may succeed after tn
 conclusion of peace in finding adequat
 means and eXpedients to prevent for ever the recurrence of such a frightfu
 war. The road may be difficult, bu it is not imDOsSible'