Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-11
AUSTRIA PLEADED
WITH HUNS TO Be
LET OUT OF WAR
Offered TO Give Borlin Free Hand
in Poland and Cede Galacia,
Czcrnin Declares.
LUDENDORFF IN THE WAY
nv Associated Press to Every Evening

nv Associated Press to Every Evening
Vienna, Monday, Dec Count Ger
min, the former Austro-Hungarian foreign
minister, discussed today his efforts and
that of the Austrian government to end
the war, and outlined what in his estl-
nation were the problems to be settled
before peace can be made secure. lie eX-
pressed hope for an agreement among the
nations 10 disarfn.
Count Czernin declared the Brcst-
Iitvosk peace treaty was the work Of the
German military leaders and painted
General Ludendorff, the Quarter1naster-
| General of the German army and virtual
dictator of the Empire 8 military policy IN
the last days Of the conflict, rs the man
who stood between the central empires
and peace on numerous occasions. Efforts
to induce the German government 10 make
concessions of an important nature seemed
at times to be near success, but Ludcn-
dorT was adanant
Becountine 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 Czernln said
GERMAN PEOPLE FOR rrAcr.
"The German people wanted peace long
age. and even Emperor William wanted
to see the end Of the war, but he attitude
of England prevented steps being taken.
Emperor William said 70 me on one oc-
casion How can We get peace with Eng
lard declaring We must he destroyed
Nothing Is more dangerous m politics
than to sec things as vou wish 70 sec them.
not as thev are We understood that the
only way to arrange matters was TO get
England and Germany TO agree
L. l.,--r.insIpn T,f Lra,aoV1r
Charles. | proposed to Emperor William
that Austria would give Germany the
Province of Galicia and permit her to
have her way in Russian Poland provided
Alsace and Lorraine were coded back to
France went 10 krelzenach and pre-
sented the plan 60 DIR Bethmann-IIolweg,
then German Imperial Chancellor. Later
he informed me that he was forced to de-
cline to enter INTO the scheme ! do not
know whether or not LudendorfT had
hand In the matter, but | was informed
that ii was impossible 10 give up AIsacc
and Lorraine because the German people
never would understand the giving up Of
land which had cost so much blood
SITUATION WAS DANGEROUS.
The situation of Germany was danger
GUS but nothing could be done. Our con-
versations were pleasant and friendly, and
our sacrifices were appreciated by Off
! cials | saw, however that | could NOT
arrange the matter because Germany was
obliged to obey the military party, | then
tried another way. Unknown % the Ter
mans | sent Herr Y Nassilko. "A socialist
member Of Parliament IL Berlin 10 talk
with Matthias Erzberger the clerical
| leader. and DIR Albert }. W. Suderkum, a
social member Of the Re;chstag. He was
H. - - Il
give them both to understand that another
peace resolution should be introduced III
the Reichstag, directed against both the
military party and the Pan-Gcrmans.
AT TINS 1lmcture. however. the German
armies began TO win victories once more
and the Reichstag did nothing. Thus we
were badly situated. When Our chances
were bad and the entente nations We're
elated they would not talk peace. When
we were winning, Ludendortf would not
consent TO permit peace negotiations.
always wanted to use victory rs an oppor-
tunity to bring about peace, and several
tunes had an impression that | might sue
coed
ENGLAND STOOD IN THE VA
4 sent Count Mensdorff to Switzerland
to sec Gen j G. Smuts, who was IN
Switzerland last March in the interests OF
the British governmentl. He succeeded,
but was unable to tell just what terms
Germany would make. do not recall that
Mir. Lloyd George, the British Premier,
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 a similar
attitude President Wilson 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
Lorraine.
KAISER DIDNT 7 WANT WAR
Regarding Emperor William feel
that he did not want the war, but he
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