Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-05-07
Count Czernin Paid a Secret
Visit to JasSay in the Latter
Part Of February and De-
Iivered the EdiCt,
RUMANlANS UNABLE
TO RESIST DEMANDS
Prime Minister AVeresu, a
Chum of Field Marshal
MackenSen, Is Believed to
Have Betrayed Country,
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tsv ~oaNrHG JOURNAL sPEeaL LEASED wissl
London May Count CZernin
then Austro- Hungarian foreign minis
Ter. paid a secret visit to JaSsy in the
latter part of February and delivered
in person a verbal ultimatum of the
most drastic sort from the central
powers to King Ferdinand OF Ru-
mania, it has become known with the
arrival here of the American Red
Cross mission to Rumana.
Count Czernin's visit was known
only in the highest official circles and
the fact that it was made is revealed
now for the first time through cor
respondent of the Associated Press,
who accompanied the mission
The reason for the visit was that the
Germans and Austrians had deter
mined TO bring to speedy conclusion
the negotiations with Rumania, and
had decided that a threat delivered in
= person BY the head of the Anstro-
Hungarian foreign office would be
more effective than reams of docu-
ments.
Czernin Sent ON the Errand.
SO Count Czernn was sent on the
crrand, He arrived in Jassy about
February 25 and went straight to the
king, His manner was stern, unbend
ing, ruthless. He told the king blunt
ly that Rumania must conclude peace
on Gormany's terms and do II imme-
diately. There must be no further de-
lays and unless Rumania consented to
this program, the central powers pur-
posed issuing a ukase deposing the
Rumanian royal house and dividing
the entire country between Austria
ana Bulgaria,
The Rumanian king saw no way
out, and a week later the formal
peace negotiations were begun.
The court cabinet had been in
state of detection from the date of
Count CZernin's sensational secret
mission.
Queen Marie had fought bitterly
against any and all peace talk from
the beginning, and she had the sup
port of the crown prince and a con-
siderable body of tho Rumanian pub
lie, The king and the cabinet, how
ever, saw no possibility of escape.
Three days before the negotiations
were opened there was a crown coun-
Gil at which the subject of peace was
fully discussed.
Her Position Hopeless.
King Ferdinand spoke of the inev-
liability of peace and the hopelessness
of Rumania's position. Most of the
cabinet ministers agreed with him.
some reluctantly others almost too
enthusiastically. The crown prince
listened to them impatiently. Finally
he arose and addressing the king.
said
II realize. sire. that you speak
f3r the government. the army and
considerable body of our citi-
zens, but speak for the queen
s.,
mania when | say that to acccIti
such "a peace would be humiliat-
ing and dishonorable and would
cast u shadow on the hitherto
unsettled page of Rumania's his
tory"
The pcpulace of Jassy showed great
hostility against General Aversu, who
became premier short time before
Count Czernin made his visit to Jassy.
and who was generally responsible for
the course taken by the peace nego-
tiations.
Aversu suggested Plan.
1t was generally believed that Count
Czernin's visit to the Rumanian king
dom was suggested to the enemy by
General Averseu who, a few days be-
fore, paid secret visit to Field Mar
shall Mackensen, without the approx
al of King Ferdinand or the Ruman-
IAN cabinet. Averseu Immediately af-
terward became the leader of the
peace at any price party.
The initiating of the Rumanian
treaty announced from Berlin today.
will lie a bitter experience for Queen
Marie. who persisted for months in
hoping against hope that it would be
possible to avert the conclusion OF
what she considered a dishonorabie
peace She has never wavered or fall
tered In her devotion to the cause of
the entente allies and her hostility to
to the central powers
me queen received the Associated
Press representative on the evening
before the departure from Jassy OF
the mission. She expressed as she
had done many times before, her
warm sympathy and admiration for
the American people. her thankful
ness for what the United States had
done for. Rumania, particularly the
work of the Red Cross. and her hope
that fuller and better friendship
would come with the end of the war.
Victory for Entente.
AS the queen mentioned the end OF
the war she could not refrain from