The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-11
LuDENDORFF
WAS DICTATOR
OF GERMANY
SAYS czERN|N
Stood Between Central Pow
ers and Peace, Austrian
Claims Says Germans and
Kaiser Wanted War to End.
PRAISES WILSON'S AIMS
sBy Associated Pressl

a,
the former Austro- Hungarian foreign
minister discussed today his efforts
and those of the Austrian government
to end the war and outlined what IN
his estimation were the problems to be
settled before peace can be made Sc
cure. He expressed hope for an agree
ment among the nations to disarm.
Count Czernin declared the Brest
Litovsk peace treaty was the work OF
the German military leaders and paint
ed General Ludendorff the quartermas-
ter general of the German army and
virtual dictator Of the empires mill
tary policy in the last days of the con-
f1ict, as the man who stood between
the central empires and peace on num-
erous occasions Efforts to induce the
German government to make conces-
sions of an important nature seemed
at times to be near success, but Luden-
dorn was adamant.
Recounting the desperate efforts on
the part of Austria to reach some sort
of peace before the final and absolute
collapse of both the Austrian and
German empires. Count Czernin said:
Wanted Peace Long Ago.
THE German people wanted peace
long ago and even Emperor William
wanted to see the end of the war, but
the attitude Of England prevented
steps from being taken. Emperor
William said to me on one occasion:
How can we get peace with England
declaring that we must be destroyed
Nothing is more dangerous In poll
tics than to see things as you wish to
see them: not as they are. We under
stood that the only way to arrange
matters was to get England and Ger
many to agree.
with the knowledge Of Emperor
Charles. proposed to Emperor Will
liam that Austria would give Germany
the province of Galacia and permit
her to have her way in Russian Poland
provided Alsace and Lorraine were
coded back to France. ! went to
Kreizenach and presented the plan to
DR.. Bethmann-Holweg. then German
imperial chancellor. Later he in
formed me that he was forced to de-
cline to enter into the scheme. do
not know whether or not Ludendorh
had a hand in the matter, but was
informed that 1t was impossible. to
give up Alsace and Lorraine. because
the German people never would under.
stand the giving up land which had
cost so much blood.
Militarists Controlled.
1.-THE situation of Germany was dan
gerous. but nothing could be done.
Our conversations were pleasant and
friendly and our sacrifices were ap-
rreciated by officials. ! saw, however.
that could not arrange the matter
because Germany was obliged to obey
tho military party.
'I then tried another way. Un-
known to the Germans, / sent Herr
Vassilko. a socialist member OF par
lament to Berlin to talk with Matthias
Erzberger, the clerical leader, and DR..
Albert O. W. Suederkum, socialist
member Of the reichstag. He was to
tell them why the war must end and
give them both to understand that
another peace resolution should be In
troduced in the reichstag, directed
against both the military party and
the pan-GG-mans.
"At this -juncture, however, the Ger
man 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 consent
to permit peace negotiations. l al
ways wanted to use victory as an OPP
portunity to bring about peace and
several times had an impression that
! might succeed. .
Feared to Leave Germany.
II sent Count Mansdorf to Switzer-
land to see General ]. c. Smutz (who
was In Switzerland last March in the
interest of the British government).
He succeeded, but l was unable to
tell just what terms Germany would
make. l do not recall that Mr. Lloyd
George, the British premier, men
toned any conditions last February.
Germany assured me that no definite
offers were received from England and
I believe this was true
England appeared to intend to
crush Germany and France showed
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 Lor-
raine.
Regarding Emperor William, feel
that he did not want the war but he
did not know how to get out OF 1t. In
this believe the heads Of the entente
powers are wrong for they probably
fcoptiDued On papa TwelVe)