South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-26
CZERNIN'S REPLY.

Associated Press Service:
BASEL. Swift, Jan. 25.-The re-
ply OF Count Czernin. the Austro
Hungarian foreign minister, 10 the
recent speeches of Pres't Wilson
and Premier Lloyd George is sum-
married rather fully in a Vienna
dispatch received here Friday
Count Czernin, who is quoted as
speaking before the foreign affairs
committee of the Austrian delega-
ton. said he considered it his first
duty to present a faithful report of
the peace negotiations with the
Russians at Brest- Litovsk, to core
late the different phases of the
events which had occurred previous
TO them and to draw from them
conclusions which were logical and
justified. As a reply to those who
found the negotiations too slow,
Count Czernin explained the diff
culties attending them, difficulties
of which one could not even give
an approximate idea. He dwelt up
on the entire difference between the
Brest-LitOvsk negotiations and any
previously known TO history, one of
the chief differences being the pub
lcity given to the various phases of
the negotiations. the details of
which were daily telegraphed
throughout the entire world.
1T is quite natural in view of the
nervousness which prevails all over
the globe" Count Czernin declared,
that they should produce the effect
of electric shocks which agitate
public opinion. We are in no doubt
as 10 the inconvenience of this sys-
TEN, but nevertheless we yielded to
the Russian governments desire for
publicity because we have nothing
to hide. If we had wished to keep
to the former secret system that
might have created a false impress
sion"
SAYS Public Must Be Calm.
Count Czernin emphasized that
to counterbalance this publicity it
was necessary for the public, as
well as the leaders to remain calm.
The business would be conducted
TO the end with GOODNESS, he de
cIared. and would achieve good re-
suits if the peoples of the dual mon
archy supported their responsible
delegates at the conference.
Count Czernin went on to declare
that the basis of the negotiations
between Austria Hungary and what
he alluded TO as the various recent
" created Russian states was peace
without annexations or indemnities.
q shall not abandon this pro-
gram he announced, land those
who thought I should allow myself
TO be led away from the path which
I determined upon are bad psychoI-
ogists. have never left public
opinion in the least doubt as 10 the
path which ] am following and I
have never allowed myself to be di-
verified an inch from this path, eth
er to the right or 10 the left. While
the pan-Germans and all those in
the monarchy who take them as
their model have honored me with
their undoubted support, I am con-
sidered by those who wish peace at
any price as being in favor Of war.
But neither the one side nor the
other has ever worried me. Their
insults are, on the other hand, my
only distractions in these serious
times.
Il declare once again that I de-
mand not a square metre or a
kreutzer from Russia and that if
Russia. as seems TO be the case,
adopts the same point Of view re-
garding peace, an agreement ought
to result.
Those who wish peace at any
price might be able 10 cast doubts
upon my loyalty if I did not tell
them to their face with the same
categoric frankness that shall
never agree TO conclude a peace eX-
ceeding the limits which / have just
indicated II our Russian interroga-
tors asked US 20 cede territories and
pay indemnities I should continue
the war despite the desire for peace
which ] share as much as you, or
/ should resign if were unable 20
make my opinion prevail"
OTTO EnD lDEI