New-York tribune., 1918-12-17
Karl Sought Peace
AS Early as 1916,
Says Lammasch
Last of Prime Ministers of
Austria Tells How the
Emperor Was Blocked
by German Influence
New York Tribune
Special Cable Soy,;c,

Copyright. 1918 New York Tribune Incl
SALZBURG. Germany, Dec. l2.--On
my journey back to Munich on Decem-
Der 8 I left the train here and visited
Professor Lammasch, last of the Aus
trian Prime Ministers of the old
regime. He was commissioned bv the
Emperor to try to save the empire. hut
the summons came too late. The lib
eral and peace policy which Professor
Lammasch advocated throughout the
war might have saved the empire if it
had been adopted even six months
earlier, but, as he told me himself, no
power on earth could then avert the
crash. 1t was his painful duty to sub
mt the historical document containing
the virtual abdicaton of the Austrian
throne for the Emperor's signature.
There is great deal of inaccurate
rumor regarding the Emperor's atti-
tude up to this fateful moment" said
Lammasch. "The Emperor read the
document calmly, and. far from dis
playing emotion, quietly discussed it's
terms with me and suggested few
verbal alterations.
AT the end of the conversation he
took the pen | offered him and signed
the document without further hesita-
tlon. 1t was not until almost at the
very end that the Emperor realized the
gravity of the situation, and it was
then too late to save the empire"
Truth Kept From Charles
There was conspiracy for silence
on the part of his successive ministers
to keep the real fact of the military
situation concealed from him (the EN-
peror). DR.. Won Seydler, who always
tried to keep the Emperor in good
humor by painting pictures in roster
colors than the truth warranted, was
especially to blame in this respect.
On the other hand, it was quite i'm
possible to conceal from the Emperor
the deplorable economic difficulties of
the Dual Monarchy.
The Emperor was largely a creature
of the tragic circumstances, for which
he was not responsible His desire for
early days of his reign, when the first
peace offer of the Central Powers was
made, in December, 1916. Due to his
pressure, Germany reluctantly consent
ed, and the tactless tone in which the
offer was couched was due to the Ger
man influence. Professor Lammasch
said:
"The Emperor called me in too late
yet the moment when the policy advo-
Gated might have averted the dissolu-
tlon OF the empire may be of historical
value as a record.
Insisted Upon Peace
"The Emperor made me the first offer
of the position as Prime Minister on
July II of this year, and | agreed on
condition that pressure be put on Ger
many to make peace on the following
terms:
IL. Evacuation and compensation of
Belgium.
:. ~. Grant full autonomy with repub-
ilcan form of government, if necessary,
to Alsace- Lorraine, within the frame
work of the German Empire
SO. Cession by Austria Hungary to
Italy of Italian Tyrol the Trentino
"a. The union of Southern Slav
states as a part of AUSTRIA Hungary,
with enjoyment of equal rights
"1he Emperor agreed to these pro-
posals, but although | cannot speak
quite definitely on this point, it seems
that Count Czernin did not quite
1T is certain, however, that the Ger
man military party and industrials Of
tered violent opposition.
-, ~ uuiy q, I5I I, Immediately after
the Reichstag resolution debate, Ger
many solemnly promised the Emperor
that until the Russian and Italian
menaces to his empire be finally
crushed no further steps would be
taken regarding these peace proposals.
German influence Used
"On January last, after certain con-
versations had in Switzerland, I again
urged the Emperor to persuade Ger
many to make peace terms as outlined
The Emperor again expressed approval,
but unfortunately the same attitude
OF violent opposition manifested itself
in high quarters in Germany and moth
ing was done in the matter"
What about later relations between
Germany and Austrian" l asked.
Frankly, they were strained" re-
piled Lammasch. eve were constantly
putting pressure for peace on Ger
many, but our ally was constantly re-
sisting. The Emperors final decision
was taken Only after the Kaiser was