The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-11
COUNT CZERNIN TELLS

Continued from Page One,
another peace resolution should be in
tr6duced in the reichstag.
lat this juncture. however. the
German armies began to win victories
once more and the reichstag did moth
ing. Thus we were badly situated.
When our chances were bad and the
entente nations were elated, they
would not talk peace. When we were
winning, Ludendorff would not con-
sent to permit peace negotia tons
always wanted to- use victory as an
opportunity to bring about peace and
several times had an impression that
1 might succeed.
81 sent Count Mensdorff to Switzer-
land to see General j. G. SHUTS (who
was in Switzerland last March in the
interests of the British government.
He succeeded, but was unable to
tell just what terms Germany would
make. do not recall that Mr.. Lloyd
George the British premier mentioned
any conditions last February. Ger
many assured me that no definite Of
fers were received from England and
I believe this was true.
England appeared to intend to
crush Germany. and France showed
a similar attitude. President Wilson
was the only head of an allied power
who did not appear to have this in
mind. Emperor William could not
bring himself to yield Alsace and
Lorraine.
Defends Emperor Wilhelm. o.
Regarding Emperor William. feel
that he did not want the war but he
did not know how to get out of it.
In this, I believe, the heads of the
entente powers are wrong for they
probably believe he caused the strug-
gle. I was minister to Ruma mia when
the war began and 1 honestly believe
that no one wanted hostilities to be-
cSia ha
neither Emperor Francis Joseph. EN-
peror William nor the minister rs
wanted war. ! might explain the fact
that war started by saying that there
was too much diplomatic bluffings
with everyone looking for the other
fellow to recede from his position. s.
Every way to get out of the war
was tried by us excepting war with
Germany. When one considers how
much weaker than Germany we were
he can see how impossible it was for
me to dictate terms. Now, If Presi-
dent Wilson finds it difficult to i'm
press his views on the entente, how
was it possible for man like me to do
anything with Germany?
II hope that an agreement to disarm
will be reached; President Wilson is
the man who is able to bring this
about. I believe his plan for a league
of nations is feasible and would solve
the whole problem. have shown in
public addresses why power to punish
any nation resorting to arms is the
only way to keep the peace.
Austria Got Nothing.
IT signed the peace treaty Of Brest-
Litovsk, but we got nothing from it.
This fact is worthy of mention. 1t
was Ludendorff who forced DR.. Rich
ard Won Kuehlmann, the German for
eign secretary to make that peace.
We occupied the southern end Of the
line, whereas Germany had her troops
| against the line in the north. General
Hoffman then declared he would move
| on Petrograd il Leon Trotzky, the Boil
| shevik foreign minister, did not sign
the treaty.
DIR. Won Kuehlmann and I had
| hoped to make peace with Russia on
| the basis of President Wilson's prin-
ciples. but Ludendorff always tele-
graphed NO to our proposals.
| r. worked day and night to bring
| DR.. Won Kuehlmann and Trotzky to-
gether. At the last moment, the latter
sent his famous telegram to the world
demanding that the German people re-
volt and destroy their government
| This telegram inflamed Berlin. which
| denounced Trotzky as a man with
whom it would not treat. Then
| Trotzky was informed that the Ger
! man troops would occupy Courland
and Lithuania and would advance or
1 "a.