The sun., 1918-02-12

Gentlemen Of the Congress:
On the sth Of January I had the
honor Of addressing you on the OBJ
Jects Of the war 20 our people con.
ceive them. The Prime Minister OF
Great Britain had spoken in similar
terms on the 5th Of January. To
these addresses the German Cham
cellor replied on the cath. and Count
Czernin for Austria on the same
day. It is gratifying to. have our de-
sire 20 promptly realized that all ex-
changes Of views on this great auss-
ton should be made in the hearing
Of all the world.
Count Csernin's reply. which 10 d.
rected chiefly to my own address on
the sth Of January. IL uttered in .
very friendly tone.
He finds In my statement q SUM
cisntly encouraging approach to the
views Of his own Government to
justify him in believing It furnishes
b0sis for q more detailed Discus
sion Of purposes by the two Govern
ments. He Is represented to have inti-
mated the views he was expressing
had been communicated to me be-
forehand, and that I was aware Of
them at the time he was uttering
them: but in this am sure he was
misunderstood. I had received no In.
timation Of what he intended to say.
There was, Of course. no reason why
he should communicate privately
with me. I am quite content to be
one Of his public audience.
Hertling's Reply Confusing.
Count Won Hertlins's reply 10. I
must say. very vague and very con-
fusing. 1t b full Of eQuivocAl
phrases. and leads It v not clear
where. But It is certainly In . very
different tone from that Of Count
Csernin. and apparently Of IN op-
posits purpose. II confirms. am
cory to say. rather than removes.
the unfortunate impression made BY
what We haA learned of the confsr-
spcss 1t Dssst.Litaysk. His dis
csassioa and aoceptancS a our 0sa-
eral principles lead him 70 no prac.
deal conciustonk. ? He ttfuseS d @xps
ply them to the substantive items
which must constitute tho body OF
any hna settlement.
He 10 Jealous Of international ac-
ton and Of international council. He
accepts. ne says. the principle OF
public diplomacy. but he appears to
insist 1t be confined. at any rate In
this case. to seneralities. and that
the several particular questions OF
territory and sovereignty. the several
questions upon whose settlement
must depend the acceptance OF peace,
by the twenty three States now en-.
gagged In the war. must be discussed
and settled not in general council
but severally by the nations most
Immediately concerned by interest
or neighborhood.
He agrees the seas should b free.
but looks askance at any limitation
to that freedom by international ac-
ton in the interest Of the common
order. He would. without reserve.
be glad to see economic barriers re-
moved between nation and nation.
for that could in no way impede the
ambitions OF the military party with
whom he seems constralned to keep
on terms.
Demands Retura Of Colonies.
Neither does he raise objection to
q Limitation Of armaments. That
question will be settled Of itself. he
thinks, by the economic conditions
which must follow the war. But the
German colonies. he demands. must
be returned without debate. He will
discuss with no one but the repre-
sentatives of Russia what disposition
shall be made Of the peoples and the
lands Of the Baltic provinces: with
no one but the Government Of
France the conditions" under which
French territory shall he evacuated;
and only with Austria what shall be
done with Poland.
In the determination OF all Ques-
tions affecting the Balkan States he
defers. as, understand him. to Aus
tria and Turkey: and with regard to
the agreements to be entered into
concerning the non-Turkish peoples
Of the present Ottoman empire. %
the Turkish authorities themselves.
After q settlement all around. e.
fected In this fashion, by individual
barter and concession. no would have
no objection. II I correctly interpret
his statement. to league Of nations
which would undertake TO hold the
now balance Of power steady against
external disturbance.
II must be evident to every one
who understands what this war has
wrought in the opinion and temper
OF the world that NO general peace.
no peace worth the INFINITE sacrifices
of these ysars Of trasical suffering.
can possibly be arrived at In any
such fashion. Tho method the Ger
man Chancellor proposes 70 the
method of the Congress OF Vienna.
We cannot and will not return 70
that. What IL at stake now 70 the
peace Of the world. What w are
striving for 10 a new international
order based upon broad and univer-
sal principles Of right and Justice
no mere peace Of shreds and patches.
Refers to Reiohstag Rsselutisns.
10 II possible that Count Won Hort
ling does not ses that. does not gTasp
It. u In fact living in his thought In
Q world dead and gone? HIS he
utterly forgotten the Reichstag rsso.
lutions Of the ninetsenth Of July. or