Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-01-28
sELF.DETERMINATIoN.


The general tone of the foreign
secretary's speech indicated that there
had been strong criticisms from Ger
man sources, chiefly that the govern
ment had not dealt with the Bolsheviki
as conquerors debating to the con-
quered.
incidentally Won Kuehlmann gave
an Interpretation of the German idea
Of self-determination for the peoples
Of Poland, Courland and Lithuania.
The plan Is not to provide refer
endum, but decision by the repre-
sentative bodies or the leaders of pub
lie opinion. The significant point in
this scheme is contained In the fact
that the so-called representative
bodies OF those countries now consist
OF representatives mostly chosen1by
the German administrative.
Won Kuehlmann and Count Czcrnin,
the Austro. Hungarian foreign. mini.
ster, are returning to Brest-L -Litovsk
for a renewal Of the negotiations with
the Russians.
DENIES IMPRoMPTU POLICY.
Won Kuehlmann in his speech be-
fore the committee referred to what
he termed the fiction that the
negotiators went to Brcst- Litovsk and
there concoctcd a policy to accord
with the requirements of the situa.
tion.' This, he said. lacked founda-
ton. % Gfrmany's eastern policy had
been decided upon before he took Of
iice.
DR.. Won Kuehlmann said that after
the arrival at Brest-Litovsk Of NJ.
Tfotzky, the Russian foreign mia
lister. the friendly spirit which previ-
ously had prevailed on the Russian
side totally vanished The Russians
shut themselves off and the entire ma
ture of the negotiations changed.
The foreign secretary spoke of the
Russian dissolution into a series OF
republics in which there were further
disintegrating elements and ex.
pressed the opinion that peace would
be- arranged with the, Ukraine when
that republic had been recognized. He
declared there was still better pros
pect of peace with Finland.
"Our differences with the Boisheyik
government" DR.. Won Kuehlnian said.
"relate inaiply to7details regarding
the carrying out Of self determination,
which, after all is not entirely mod.
ern innovation, Bismarck having stip-
,iiated it in the peace treaty after the
campaign Of 1866"
Considers Russia Dismembered.
London, Jan. 26.--Press opinion
thus far received from Germany sup
ports Count Won Hcrtling IN his dec
laration OF war aims. but some dis
satisfaction is expressed that he was
not more precise.
Noting, the difference between the
statements of the chancellor and
Count Czefnin, the ro-Hungarian
foreign minister, in regard tc Russian
negotiations, the Berlin Vossiche Zei-
tung says that Count Czernin's offer
to the various Russian states OF no an
nexations or indemnities shows that
he considers the dismernberinent OF
Russia has been accomplished.
I'VE had always believed that Aus
tria- Hungary, like Germany. was me-
gotiating with the Russian state as a
whole, the paper says: "The absence
of any reference to this situation by
Count Won Hertling is mistake be-
cause the question OF how we stand
regarding peace in the east remains
the foundation stone of general
peace"
The Munich Neusste Nachrichten
complains that Count Won Hertling's
speech failed to meet the expectations
OF the German pubic. His words
cleared up certain points in regard to
GermanY's war aims, but full precision
and clearness was absolutely neces-
sary after the confused impressions
left by the recent conference in Ber-
lin