Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-12-12
CZERN|N TRIED
EVERY WAY To
AVOID CONFLICT
F o.rmer Hungarian
Foreign Minister Declares
He Did Everything But Go.
to War With Germany,

Vienna, Monday, Dec. . (by the AS
ISOLATED Press) Path in President
Wilson was expressed by Count Ger
min, former Austro- Hungarian for
eign minister today in discussing the
problems that must be settled before
peace is made secure.
Recounting the desperate efforts on
the part OF Austria to reach some sort
of peace before the final and absolute
collapse of both the Austrian and
German empires, Count Czernin said
The German people wanted peace
long ago and even Emperor William
wanted to see the end of the war but
the attitude of England prevented
steps being taken, Emperor William
said to me ON one occasion:
How can we get peace with Eng.
land declaring that we must be de.
stroyed?
I'VE understood that the only way
to arrange matters was to get Eng.
land and Germany to agree.
Sent Mensdorff to Switzerland.
81 sent Count Mensdorff to Swltzer-
land to see Gen. J. c. SHUTS (who was
in Switzerland last March in the in
terests of the British government. He
succeeded but | was unable to tell
Just what terms Germany would
make. | do not recall that Mr.. Lloyd
George mentioned any conditions last
February. Germany assured me that
no definite offers were received from
England and | believe this was true.
England appeared to intend to
crush Germany, and France showed
similar attitude. President Nilsson
was the only head Of an allied power
who did not appear to have this In
mind. Emperor William could not
bring himself to yield Alsace and Lor-
raine.
Regarding Emperor William
feel that he did not want the war but
he did not know how to get out of It.
| was minister to Rumania when the
war began and | honestly believe that
no one wanted hostilities TO begin
have the impression that neither En-
peror Francis Joseph, Emperor Will
liam nor the ministers wanted war. /
might explain the fact that the war
started by saying that there was too
much diplomatic bluffing with every
one looking for the other fellow TO re-
cede from his position.
Tried to Keep out.
Every way to get out of the war
was tried by us excepting war with
Germany. When one considers how
much weaker than Germany we are.
he can see how impossible II was for
me to dictate terms. Now if Presi-
dent Wilson finds it difficult to i'm
press mis- views on the entente how
was it possible for q man like me to
do anything with Germany?
Il hope that an agreement to dis
"a ~ nj hn rnn
son is the man who is able to bring
league of nations is feasible and
would solve the whole problem.
II signed the peace treaty Of
Brest-Litovsk but we got nothing
from it. This fact is worthy of men
ton. 1t was Ludendorff who forced
DR.. Richard Won Kuehlmann, the Ger
man foreign secretary, to make that
peace. We occupied the southern end
of the line. whereas Germany had her
troops against the line in the north.
General Hoffman then declared he
would move on Petrograd If Leon
Trotzky, the Bolshevik foreign min
lister, did not sign the treaty.
DIR Won Kuehlmann and / had
hoped to make peace with Russia on
the basis of President Wilson's prin-
ciples but Ludendorff always tele-
graphed No to our proposals. /
worked day and night to bring DR..
Won Kuehmann and Trotzky together.
At the last moment the latter sent his
famous telegram to the world de-
handing that the German people re-
volt and destroy their government.
This telegram inflamed Berlin, which
denounced Trotzky as a man with
whom 1t would not treat. Then Trot-
zky was informed that the German
troops would occupy Courland and
Lithuania and would advance on Pet
rograd"