The Daily Missoulian., 1918-04-16
PRIME MINISTER
RESIGNS HIS PORTFOLIO.

Amsterdam. April 15.--Count Ger
MIN, Austro- Hungarian foreign min
lister. has resigned. according to a dis
patch from Vienna
Emperor Charles accepted the resie-
nation and entrusted Count Czernjn
with the conduct of foreign affairs un-
I'll his successor is appointed
An official statement received here
today from Vienna asserts that the
'atest statements of the French pre-
m1er, NJ. Clemenceau, concerning the
conversations between Austria and
France regarding the possibility of
opening peace negotiations do not al :
ter the situation as regards the rfa-
1ority Of Count Czernin's declarations.
Letters Held Bogus. i.
The Austrian foreign ministry, the
statement says, Is unable to ascertain
who was responsible for delivering to
the French what IL said to have been n
'orged letter, substituted for the letter
which was to have been delivered
Neither Prince Sixtus, whose character
IS beyond suspicion, nor anyone else.
Is accused of Justification, continues
he statement, which concludes:
The affair Is herewith declared to
be at an end"
Peace Move Factor.
The recent publication by the French
government of the futile peace appeal
by Emperor Charles of Austria Hun
gary in March, 1917, and the efforts
of the emperor and the Austro- Hun
garian foreign office to explain this
'etter to the satisfaction of Germany
and the German emperor. probably
We're the most potent influences in
bringing about the resignation of
Count Czernin.
Since he was appointed foreign min
'ster on December 20, 1916, in success
sion to Baron Burian. Count Czernin
has been very active in attempting 20
eIIng about peace and the moderat to
one of his speeches has been i'm sharp
contrast with that of the German
chanceilors and foreign secretaries
However. his participation in the
'orced peace upon Russia. as well as
that upon Rumania, did not show that
his actions kept step with his words.
In the peace offensive" of the pres
ent year, Count Czernin in the Aus
trian reichsrath on January 25. sug-
gested an exhange Of views between
Austria Hungary and the United
states. He announced also that Aus
ria based her negotiations with Rus
ala on the policy of no annexations or
'ndemnities. but there always was
'ome doubt whether his pacifist
-naneuvers were honest or were in
spired by Berlin In an effort to bring
,bout split among the entente allies.
Frsneh Pass the lie.
Count Czernin on April 4. in an ad-
!ress at Vienna, declared that Premier
'lemenceau had sought peace negotia :
tions with Austria. The French pre- :
,1ier replied that Count Czernin He'd
The French and Austrian offices then
ssued statements explaining the un-
official negotiations In Switzerland.
Early last week the French govern
tnent declared that Emperor Charles
and Count czernin both had said that
he claim Of France to Alsace Lorraine
was Just. '~
This Immediately brought from the
french government the publication oi
letter from Emperor Charles to his
BROTHER -in-Iaw, Prince Sixtus OF Bour-
bon. which was autogra phed and which
he emperor asked be given to Presi.
! dent Poincare. In the letter the en-
neror said that Franch should have Al.
~ace- Lorraine and that Belgium and
Siberia should be restored. He also
asked that London and Paris be fell
out as to probable peace terms.
Assaiisd in Germany.
German newspapers have attacked
10th Emperor Charles and his foreign
secretary because Of this letter. anf
attempts haye been made to show .tha
|st was not written by the emperor I