Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

in reality the young Emperor's policy
remains unaltered. The popular cry
Is unanimous for peace. and he must
heed it if he does not wish to lose
his throne. In Austria, the 'Czechs
are a continual menace; in Hungary,
Count KaroEis party for peace and
electoral reform is backed by the vast
majority of the population.
."Ah. if President Wilson would only
influence the Entente to declare SOL
emnly that it has no intention of dis
membering Hungary by separating
Croatia and the port Of Fiume from
her. the Hungarian people would re-
fuse to carly on the war any longer
for the greater glory of Prussia. 1t
is this fear alone that goads them to
fight on. Hungary will grant her
Slav districts autonomy, yes, full au.
tonomy, but she cannot give them up
entirely.
Harping on Hatred
THE Hungarians have no love for
the Germans. On their marches 10
Russia and Rumania the German SOL
diers have devastated and impover-
ished entire districts of Hungary.
Our peasants will not forget nor for
give this quickly. And our finances
are in such a hopeless state, too! If
America would only hold out some
promise to regulate them after the
war. we should not feel so dependent
on Germany. We should far rather
pay our debts with American dollars
than with German marks."
Thus discoursed my Hungarian ac.
quaintance by the nocturnal shores
of Lugano Lake, glancing apprehen.
s1Vely-and. l imagine, rather oStenta.
tiously-about him for any German
spies that might be hidden in the
bushes by the wayside. 1t was typical
Austro-German peace talk. He held
out vague hopes and demanded def.
mite benefits in return. He deliber-
atty exaggerated his country's dislike
of and ability to break with the Ger
man Empire. He tried to lead me to
believe that the Hungarians are a
free and Independent people who can
decide for themselves whether they
will make war or peace. And just
this whatever truth and sincerity
there might be in the rest of his state.
ments, was absolutely false.
Austria Seethes
Now, it is fact that trouble is
again brewing in Austro.Hungary.
There was a great popular efferves.
cence throughout all classes and races
of the monarchy before Count Ger.
Minis resignation. and Baron Burian's
and Count Tisza's restoration to power
bids fair to intensity it dangerously.
Hungary wants agrarian reform and
electoral reform, which the young EN-
pepor HAS promised her, but the reali-
cation of which Count Tisza's occult
and malignant influence hes so far
frustrated.
. Great national agitation prevails
'among all the Slav races. All the ma
tions of the variegated Hapsburg EN-
pire. long unfortunately for imme.
date peace--this is the one and only
point on which they are agreed. In
the larger towns and Industrial dis
tricts the spirit of the workers is dis
contented and rebellious.
In fact, one of the principal "stra-
tegic aims" of the Austro- Hungarian
army operating under the command
of General Boehm-Ermolli in southern
Russia has been to round up the pris
oners of war quixotically liberated by
the Russian revolutionists and to
drive them in herds across the Aus
trian border to new. and certainly more
stringent captivity in their own coun
try! This is the truth about the mis-
cradle fate of the former Austro-Hun