Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-02-01
HERTLlNe DEMANDS BRITAIN
GIVE UP GIBRALTAR FORT
REss TO FREE SEAS.
AjREEONW LSONPLANS
czERNlN ASSERTS NEITHER TER.
RIToRY NOR INDEMNITY WILL
BE ASKED OF RUSSIA.

to their respective parliaments the
opinion was expressed by officials
here that no substantial advance to-
ward the final peace sought by all
belligerents has resulted from thsse
declarations.
Berlin, Jan 26.-Count Won Hert-
ling, the German chancellor, in an
swering the recent speeches of Presi-
dent Wilson and Premier Lloyd
George, announced in the Reichstag
main committee that Germany would
not give up Alsace-Lorraine
"There are no differences between
us and President Wilson as to free
dom of the seas" the German chan
cellor asserted. But it is most inn
portant for future freedom of naviga-
ton that England %relinquish strong
fortified points d'appui on important
sailing routes-such as Gibraltar, NAL
ia, Alden, Hong Kong end the Falk-
land islands"
AS to Belgium, the chancellor said
Germany did not desire any fOrcible
annexation of her territory, Regard.
ing occupied French territory he de-
clared that while Germany did not de-
sire annexatiOns Of It by violence he
would discuss the question Of this ter.
ritOry only with France. The vacua
ton of Russian territory could be dis.
cussed only with Russia, he an
nounced. He expressed agreement
with certain points in President viii
sons speech and invited new pro-
posals from the allies.
Count Czernin, the Austro-Hun.
garian foreign minister. in an address
before the Reichsrath, also replied to
the speeches of the British and Amer.
lean executives. He also voiced a de-
sire to continue the exchange Of
peace views with the allies.
In particular, he thought such ex.
changes between Austria-H Hungary and
the United States were desirable.
There was no great incompatibility
between the interests of these two ma.
tions, in his opinion, and an exchange
of views between them might open the
way for the other nations to join in
conciliatory discussions.
Chief interest centers in the an.
nouncement of Germany's terms,
which are defined for the most part
in a negative way, however. The Ger.
man chancellor stated specifically that
Germany agreed with the first four
points in President Wilson's world
peace program which cover the aboli-
tion of secret diplomacy, freedom OF
the seas, equality of trade conditions
and reduction of national ornaments.
The chancellor thought some diff
culties would be met regarding the
fifth point which treated with colonial
adjustments and asserted the princi.
pie that the interests Of the popula.
tion concerned must have equal
weight with the claims of the govern.
ment whose title was to be deter.
mined.
AS 10 the question of a league OF
peace, the chancellor said Germany
would be ready to discuss that after
all the other questions had been set,
tied,
Austria was primarily concerned
with points 9, 10 and II in President
Wilson's speech, Chancellor Won Hert
ling pointed out. Germany's interests
would be defended e~nergetically
where they were involved. These
points touch upon the readiustment o.
the Italian frontiers along clearly rec
ognizable lines of nationality, free op
portunity for the autonomous devel
opment of the peoples of Australian
gary and with the Balkan question, in
Guiding demands for the evacuation
of Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro
with free acces to the sea for Serbia
The chancellor was notably specifi,
in his treatment of the Alr1ce-Lor
raine question, declaring this territor!
was originally German, that it haC
been taken by force from German pos
session, and the cession of 1871 wa
merely a restoration.
While Count Won Hertling founC
Premier Lloyd George more concilia
tory in his recent speech than former
ly, showing more of an inclination t
Germany's political, economic ant
cultural position" while he was founC
charging her with being guilty of al
possible crimes"
Count Czernin. Austria's spokes
man, in his address, dealt at some
length with the Russian question. He
declared that Australia hungary did moi
desire a meter OF territory nor a cen
time of indemnity from Russia ant
thought there were not differences
enough in the Russian and German
viewpoint of self-determination to jus
tify an abandonment of the negotia
tions now in progress at Brest-Litovsk
The Polish question, he declared, mus
not delay the bringing about Of peace
nv a single day.