The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-24
Dual Monarchy Demands Back
Down on Part of German
Annexationists
TAKES FIRM STAND
LEST PEOPLE RISE
In VILE REVOLT
Tention Between Two Empires
lie Increased by Report OF
Clash Between German and
Austrian troops

Amsterdam, Jan. 2s.--For the first
time in the war Austria Hungary
holds the whip hand over Germany.
Overnight almost the dual monar-
chy has passed from the passive roio
of a subsidiary, more bothersoma
than helpful factor In the kaisers
Mtttel- Europa scheme to the part OF
dominating and diota-
ting member of that firm"
Herein lies the transcendant sig
nifcance of the news that ca 1se
through during the last twenty-foir
hours from the two Teutonic capitals.
Austria Hungary's peace clanior-
ing masses. II was learned, have
quieted down only upon one ccndi.
tion-nameiy. that their rulers now
and Immediately force q backdown OF
the German annexationists and make
peace with Russia as a beginning. but
preferably a general peace.
Promptly the crisis switched from
the Danube empires interior to he
tween Vienna and Berlin. It's central
figure Is Count Won Czernin. the Aus
Hungarian foreign minister.
Bolshevis Ism. while nagging away NJ
the groundwork OF the HapSburr
placed into Hapsburg hands a pow
erful weapon with which TO cut Them
selves loose from vsssaiage to ths
Hohenzollerns.
Count FTourtshcs Weapon.
This weapon Count Won Cxernin be-
gan to flourish today. with II he
means TO force the German Junker@s
list backdown. and then peace with
Russia without annexation. Failing
in that. he will have the alternative
of making separate peace with Rus
sia as the only avenue OF escape from
an Austro-H Hungarian internal back
down
In either case he--and through
him Austria Hungary-will be the
gamer and Germany the loser. In
either case, also, Bolshevism will be
the gamer. since IL IL the moving
power behind the whole drama.
Tomorrow Count Won Hertifng,
the German chancellor, and DIR. Won
Kuehimann. foreign minister, are
scheduled to STEAK on peace In the
reichstag. At the same time Count
Czernin ia expected to sreak At
Vienna Count Czernin. n was seen
from today's news. has strengthened
AuStria's position fmmeasurablv by
his steadfast adherence to the Rus
ian formula of mo lamentations. -
! The speeches tomorrow are expected
to show precisely how wide is the gap
between Berlin and Vienna on this
+ issue.
Clash ON East Front.
with the political tension between
the two kaisers. a tension surcharged
with the nagging emotions of frfen Ii
about to turn foes. came, like o.
bombshelI news from the east front
of a clash between German and Aus
/ trisn troops
sF@f.
Austrians and Russians were fratsr-
mixing, II was said. and Germans. IN
order to stop this entered the trenches
TO clear out the r Esians, Then blood .
shed began. Artillery participated.
There was a casualty list In this
miniature battle as in the great politi-
| cal drama the AuStrians were the ag-
gressors- Bolshevism was the cause.
| True or not. the story wac fully
| credited by those who know the sit
+ uation. supplementary dispatches from
| the Austro-Swis frontier pictured this
Austrian masses as saturated With
| Boishevtsm. The thing that the kAle-
er's generals most fear and nate--the
doctrine OF the equality of man. has
/ of the Hapsburg land. and II 10 but
matter OF time before II sweeps
through thu army that Aghts side by
eide with the kaiser's.
Junker Gets Furious.
How deep is Berlin's fear OF thss
doctrine was shown by q belated re-
port today concerning one of ths
Brest Litovsk sessions. General Won
Hoffman, the official sabre-rattled OF
the German delegation. Is said to have
jumped 10 his feet at one phase OF
the conference and. to the accompanf-
ment OF table banging fists. TO havs
shouted Germany would recall It's mil.
itary commission now In petrograd n
the Bolsheviki insisted upon teilins
! their people to treat German officers
Just like common soldiers.
The Bolsevtkf on their part h2vs
! kept and are keeping. the closest pos
sible track of the wanderings of their
pet octopus through the Austrian em-
| pire. They are elated by the progress
it has made. AS to Germany. they
are hiding their time. relying on ths
principle that when frontal attacks
fail flank attacks are In ordsr.
/ Characteristic OF their sentiment ID
the following statement by M. Ltvtn-
of. the Bolshevist representative In
London. made to British labor - Not
tingham:
4 I'VE can already hear the rumbiinxs
81 a. storm in Austria from the result
at Brest Litovsk."
They want Peace.
! Bernie advices tell how mobs parad-
Ing the streets during the recent
strikes cried: Long live Trotxky
''Giye US peaoar'
Many of the riots were led BY WON
en-. these dispatches say. For the pres.
} emit the turmoil seethss below ths sur.
face. the truce being strictly observed
by the hungry masses who have beeu
/ told. II Ia developed today. tha1 th1ss
clamor would lessen rather tAmn ~
Iereass tbs chances Of peaaA #
: Fifty million msns wcsDon - GnI1