Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-02-28
Tells Congress Austria Seeks
Peace, but That Ally Is
HypOCritiCal.
HERTLING IS FOR CONQUEST
President Sees MiiitarIsts Willing TO
Slaughter Millions for Unjust
csuse-Enunclates Points Which
Must BE Considered to
End War.

Washington. Feb. l3.-President
Wilson, In another address TO congress
on the question OF possible peace by
negotiation, vigorously attacked Ger
many's attitude toward peace as voiced
BIZ Chancellor Won HertliDg, character
hSed Austria's attitude as voiced by
Count CzernIn as uttered in friendly
tone" and concluded by saying that
this nation would never lay down its
arms until peace could be established
with Justice to oil nations, large and
small alike.
The president particularly flayed
Count Won Hertling's proposal that
questions Of territory and the future
Of nationalities were matters for dis
cussion between those nations only di-
Eectly affected instead Of by a world
congress. In reply he said no perma-
nent peace could come in this way.
Text Of Wilson's Address.
The presidents address follows:
Gentlemen Of the congress:
"On January had the honor Of
addressing you on the objects Of the
war as our people conceive them. The
prime minister of Great Britain had
spoken in similar terms on January ..
To these addresses the German chan
cellor replied on the oath and Count
CZernln for Australia on the same day.
IT is gratifying to have our desire so
promptly realized that all exchanges of
view on this great matter should be
made in the hearing Of all the world.
Count Czernin's reply, which is di-
rected chiefly to my own address on
January s, is uttered in very friend
ly tone.
Sees Basis for Discussion.
"He finds in my statement a suf-
Hciently encouraging approach TO the
views of his own government to justify
him in believing that it furnishes a
basis for more detailed discussion Of
purposes Ny the two governments. He
is represented to have intimated that
the views he was expressing had been
communicated to me beforehand and
that was aware of them at the time
he was uttering them, but in this am
sure lie was lllSulutlS lObhs
"Count Won Hertling's reply is,
must say, very vague and very con-
fuslng. 1t is full of equivocal phrases
and leads, ii is not clear, where. But 1t
is certain in a very different tone from
that of Count Czernin and apparently
of an opposite purpose. 1t confirms, !
am sorry to say, rather than removes,
the unfortunate impression made by
what we had learned Of the conference
at Brest-LitOvsk. His discussion and
acceptance of our general principles
lead him to no practical conclusion.
Accepts Principle of Diplomacy.
HE refuses to apply them to the
substantive items which must consti.
tute the body of any final settlement
He Is jealous Of international action
and of international counsel. He &C
cepts, he says, the principle Of public
diplomacy, but he appears to insist
that 1t be confined, at any rate In thi:
case, to generalities, and that the sew
sral particular questions Of territory
and sovereignty, the several questions
upon whose settlement must depend
the acceptance of peace by the twenty
three states now engaged In the war
must be discussed and settled, not fl
general council, but severally by tn
nations most Immediately concernet
by interest or neighborhood.
"He agreed that the seas should b
free, but looks askance at any limitG
ton to that freedom by internationa
action in the interest Of the commo
order He would without reserve b
glad to see economic barriers remove
between nation and nation, for tha
could in no way impede the ambition
of the military party with whom
seems constrained to keep on term
Neither does he raise objection to
limitation of ornaments. That ma
ter will be settled of itself, he think
by the economic conditions which mu
follow the war. But the German col
mics, he demands, must be returnt
without debate. He will discuss vii
no one but the representatives of Ru
'aia what dispositions shall be made
the people and the lands Of the Bait
provinces; with no one but the go
ternment of France the condition
under which French territory shall
evacuated; and only with Austr
~~~~~~~.~~~I~~