Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-12

peTial chancellor. Later he informed me that he was forced to decline to enter into the scheme. l do not know whether or not I.udcndorff had hand l. in the matter but l was informed that il was impossible to give up Alsace- Lorraine because the iierman people never would understand the giving up of land which had cost so much blood "Thc situation of Germany was dan gerous but nothing could be done Our conversations were pleasant and | friendly and our sacrifices were ap- preciated by the officials. l saw, how ever that l could not arrange the mat ter because Germany fas obliged to obey the military party
 "l then tried another way Un- known io the Germans | sent Herr { NaSSilko Socialist mem0cr of parlia- ment to Berlin to talk with Matthias Erzber2er, the Clerical leader and Dr.. Albert 0. w. Suederkum, d So- ciahSt 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 introduced in the ReichStag. At this iuncture however the Ger man armies began to win victories once more and the Rcichstag did noth- | ing. Thus we were badly situated. 1 When our chances were bad and the ! entente nations were elated they 1 would not talk peace. When We were
 winning Lndendorff would not consent
 to permit peace negotiations, I always
 wanted to use victory as an opportun-
 ity to bring about peace and several | limos had Cjnn that p,ipht l succeed.
 ''I sent Count Mensdorff to Switzer- 1 land to see General j. C. Shuts (who
 was in Switzerland last March in the
 interests of the British 2overnmentD
 He succeeded but 1 was unable to
 tell just what terms Germany would
 make. l do not recall that Mr. Lloyd
 George, the British premier mentioned
 any conditions last February. Ger i many assured me that no definite of 1 fers were received from England and 1 believe this was true
 England appeared 10 intend to
 crush Germany and France showed d
 similar attitude. President Wilson was
 the only head of an allied power who
 did not appear to have this in mind. Emperor William could lot bring him.
 self to yield Alsace and Lorraine.
 "Regarding Emperor William, I feel
 that he did not want the war but he
 did not know how to get out of it. in
 this, 1 believe the heads of the entente
 powers are wrong for they probably
 believe he caused the struggle. l was minister to Rumania when the war
 began and l honestly believe that no
 one wanted hostilities to begin. I have
 have the impression that neither Elm peror Francis Joseph, Emperor Will liam nor the ministers wanted war
 l might explain the fact that Wal
 started by saying that there was too
 much diplomatic bluffing, with every
 one looking for the other fellow to re-
 cede from his position.
 "Eyery way to get out of the wal
 was tried blk us excepting war witt
 Germany. When one considers how much weaker than Germany, we were
 he can see how impossible it was fol me to dictate terms. Nof if Presiden Wilson's finds it difficult to impres!
 his views on the entente, how was i
 possible for man like me to do any thing with Germany?
 "I hope that an agreement to diSarn
 vii be reached; President Wilson i the man who is able to bring thi about l believe his plan for leagu /, of nations is feasible and would sOlv the whole problem. l have shown il public address why power to punfsl any nation resorting to arms is tn
 only way to keep the peace.
 'I signed the peace treaty of Brest I4itovsk but we got nothing from ii U l Tbic, foo ic1 Inv of 1,nrtiOn q Ludendorff who forced Dr. Richar' . von Kuehlmann, the German foreig r secretary to make that peace. We oc ! cupied the southern end of the lin :, whereas Germany had her troop < against the line in the north Genera ' Hoffman then declared he would nov ', on Petrograd if Leon Trotzky, the Bol |, sheviki foreign minister did not sig 7, the treaty.
 " "Dr von Kuehlmann and l ha ' hoped to make peace with Russia O the basis of President Wilson's prin 7, ciples but LudendorffN always tele a graphed no to our proposals. l work V ed day and night to bring Dr. vo n Kuehlmann and>Trotzky together A u the last moment the latter sent hi
 famous telegram to the world dc /, manding that the German people rt u volt and destroy their ebvernmeH d This telegram inflamed Berlin whic a denounced Trotzky as man wit = whom it would not treat. Then TrOtzk V was informed that the German troop . would occupy Courland and Lithuani 5 and would advance on Petrograd." ,e Furs for Xmas at McEwen's- :. Never huy anywhere until VOL prit