The Sentinel=record., 1918-04-04

Was impossible to negotiate On this
| basis. Thereupon there was no choice
| left
The colossal struggle in the west
| mas already broken out. Austro Hun
gary and German troops are fighting
| shoulder to shoulder as they fought in
| Russia, Serbia, Rumania and Italy.
We are fighting together for the de-
tense of Austria-Hungary and Ger
many. The aspirations of France and
Italy are Utopias which will be ter
| ribly avenged.
Come what may, we shall not sac
| rifice Germany's interests any more
than she win leave us in the lJrch
We are not fighting for imperialistic
or annexationist ends for ourselves or
for Germany but we shall so forward
to the last for our future.
The first breach in the will Of our
enemies for war has been made by
the peace negotiations by Russia. It
was a break through of the peace
ideas 1t is evidence Of childish di-
lettantism to overlook the nner con
nection between the conclusions OF
peace
The constellation of enemy powers
in the east resembled a net; when
one mesh was severed the others gave
way.
"The Ukranian peace led to peace
with Russia, and Rumania becoming
isolated was obliged to conclude
peace. we had to begin with Ukraine,
but on technical and material grounds
The blockade had to be broken and
the future will show that the conclu-
sion of peace with Ukraine was a blow
at the heart of the rest Of our enc
mics
"The peace concluded with Rumania
it is calculated, will be the starting
part of friendly relations. The slight
frontier rectifications which We re-
ceive are not annexations. Wholly
uninhabited regions, they serve solely
for military protection. To those who
insist that these rectififcations fall
under the category Of annexat tions anu
accuse me of inconsistency, reply
that | have publicly protested against
holding out license to our enemies
which would assure them against tina
dangers Of further adventures.
From Russia | did not demand
single meter but lRumana neglected.
the favorable moment
The protection OF mercantile ship
ping in the lower Danube, guarding the
iron gate is guaranteed by the eXten-
sion of the frontier to the heights 'of
Turnu-4Severin. by leasing for thirty
years a valuable wharf near this
town. together with strip along tns
river bank at an annual rental of
thousand lei. and finally by obtaining
the leasing rights of OstrOvo Mare
corbu and 'Simerau and the transfer of
the frontier several hlometers west OF
Petroseny coal mines which safe
guards our possessions in the Sur
dock pass coal basin
Macy Szeben and Fogaris will re
ceive new security frontier of an
average width of from fifteen to-
eighteen kilometers at all passes of
importance as for instance Predeal.
Bodz Gyimes, Bekas and Totgyes. The
new frontier has been so far removed
to Rumanian ground as military rea-
sons required.
The rectification east Of CzernOwitz
has protected the city against future
attacks
AT the moment when we are suc-I
cessfully endeayoring TO renew
friendly and neighborly relations with
Rumania it is unlikely that we would
open old wounds but every one knows
the history of Rumanias entrance
into the war and will admit that it
was my duty to protect the monarchy
against future surprises of similar
kind | consider the safest guarantee
for the future. international agree
ments to prevent war. In such agree
ments. if they are framed in binding
form, | should see much stronger
guarantees against surprise attacks by
neghbors than in frontier rectifica-
tions But | thus far expect in the
case OF President Wilson, have been
unable to discover amongst any of our
enemies serious inclination to accept
this idea Il, however, despite the small
degree of approval this idea receives
consider that 1t will nevertheless DeI
realized.
Calculating the burdens with which
the states of the world will emerge
from this war vainly ask myself how
they will cover military expenditure
if competition in armaments remains
unrestricted / do not believe that 1t
will be possible for the states after
this war adequately to meet the in
creased requirements due 20 the war
81 think rather that financial con-
ditions will compel the states to ell
ter into a promise regarding the limi
tations of armaments
"This calculation of mine is neither
idealistie nor fantastic, but is based
upon reality in politics in the most
liberal sense of the word. i, for my
part, would consider 1t great disas-
ter if in the end there should be fail