Middletown transcript., 1918-02-23
President Wilson More Hopeful Of
Austrian Peace Than Is
Lloyd George.
AGAIN SETS FORTH DEMANDS
6oisheviki PerpIex the Germans by
Abandoning the War Without Sign
Ing Treaty-Ukraine Makes Sepa-
rate Peace-AII Ready for West
Front Offensive.
BY EDWARD w. PICKARD.

President Wilson believes Count
Czernin meant what he seemed to say
in his recent speech on peace. and
still hopes Austria-Hungary may be
separated from Germany and that the
war may be brought to an end with
out great deal more of fighting.
Premier Lloyd-George believes that
in it's real substance the Czernin adj
dress was as uncompromising as that
of Chancellor Won Hertling and that
the allied war council at Versailles
was right when it declared peace must
be won by force of arms.
In his address to congress on Mon
day Mr. Wilson enunciated the four
cardinal principles to which he said
the enemy must agree before general
peace pOurparlers can be begun. Brief
~, these are:
Each part of the final settlement
must be based on essential justice to
insure permanent peace.
No peoples shall be bartered for the
gain of any sovereignty or to retain
the now discredited "balance of pow
er." :,
Territorial settlements must be for
the benefit of the people and not of
neighboring states. ....
All well defined national aspirations
must be satisfied.
Until a peace based upon these prin-
ciples is secured. the president assert
ed, America has no choice but to 90
on, and will continue its. mobilization
Of its resources until the whole
strength of the nation has been put in
to this war Of emancipation. He de-
nOunced the stand of the imperial
chancellor. but seemed to invite Count
Czernin to lead Austria away from its
autOcratic ally.
"a
Though hailed as sign Of weaken
ing by most Of the TeutOnic press. the
presidents speech is not so regarded
by his fellow countrymen. Many OF
them may believe he is overOptimistic
concerning Austria. as does Lloyd
George. hut they accept at its face
value his statement of the nations de-
termination not to. stop fighting until
the results he demands have been
achieved. They feel no harm can re
suit from leaving open the doOr'tO pos
central powers. provided there is nc
letup in our war preparations because
Of the bare chance that they may not
be needed.
Premier LloydGeorge's stand in sup
porting the Versailles council and
maintaining secrecy concerning the
plans d<eided on by it was Endorsed
by parliament, which gave him q vote
Of confidence by an overwhelming ma
jority.
The German press warns Mr.. Wilson
again that his efforts to separate Ger
many and Hungary will be FIJI.
tile and calls his references to Ameri-
can mobilization mere bluff.
The kaiser, it may be noted, also de
lvered a speech, in which he said any
peace must be preceded by an aOmlS
sion of German victory.
The outside world Is not permitted
to know much Of what is going on in
Austria, but Scch information as does
escape the censor really indicates that
President Wilson may not be far
astray in his hopes. It is said Austria
shows increasing reluctance to sending
her troops to fight against the British
and Americans ir France. The Der.
liner Tageblatt admits that the inter
nal situation in Austria is serious and
that government lis no longer possible
since the CZechs. JugO-Slavs and Poles
form an important majority. against