The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-25
CEqFRM RM Pow ER[lS CONFIDENT OF
SEPARATEPEACE WITHRUSSIA

eign minister, peace between the two
nations can be secured If Russia main
tans the Same attitude.
This declaration, coupled with the
statement by Chancellor Won Hertling
before the main committee of the
reichstag yesterday that Germany. too,
hopes to'reach a good conclusion"
with the Russian delegates at Brest-
Litovsk, indicates complete confidence
on the part of the central powers as to
the final success of their separate Rus
sian plans. In view of the demands of
the German delegates that Courland
and the Baltic provinces be given UP
| by Russia and the declaration of
Count Czernin that the dual mon
archy will demand no annexations and
no indemnities, a question of policy is
raised that enshrouds further negotia-
tions at Brest- -Litovsk.
] On the question of a general peace
7 Count Czernin is quoted as having told
the reichstag that he considered Pres
ident Wilson's latest peace propositions
as an approach to the Austro- Hunga-
| rian point of view. While there were
| several points in common, Count Ger
| min said, yet there remained the fact
| that Austria Hungary, as the ally of
Germany. would fight to the bitter end
| In defense of her alliance. He ex-
pressed the opinion that once the CEN
| trail powers have reached peace with
Russia that the entente nations would
be forced to conclude q general peace.
despite the efforts of their statesmen
to the contrary.
Before the main committee of the
reichstag yesterday Chancellor Won
Herthn also discussed peace with Rus
/ sia but without making mention of
the reports of the demands of the Ger
man delegates for the annexation of
| Courland and other territory. The
chancellor said that the negotiations
| at Brest-Iitovsk had been resumed
and that he held fast to the hope that
| peace would result. Both the German
imperial chancellor and the Austro-
Bulgarian minister remarked on the
change in the tone of the recent
speeches of President Wilson and
Premier Lloyd George but the former
disagreed with certain foreign news
papers that Mr.. Lloyd Georges speech
could be interpreted as either showing
! an earnest desire for peace. or friend
ship for Germany, declaring that to the
contrary, the British premier seemed
to adjudge Germany guilty of all pos
sibIe crimes. Referring to President
Wilson's speech. the chancellor said
there was no difference between Ger
many and the United States regarding
the freedom of the seas.
Renewal of assurances of Japan's al
legianc to her alliance with Great
Britain and the other allies has been
made by Count Terauchi, the Japanese
premier. In an address at the opening
of the diet the premier declared that
japan held herself responsible for the
maintenance of peace In the far east
The Russian situation, the premier
said, was causing Japan great anxiety
and he expressed the hope that sta
BILE government would be established
without further loss of time.
Abandonment of the plan to overrun
the Venetian plains seems to have been
decided upon by the Austro- German
armies and is indicated in the retire.
ment from the Piave river westward
due to the constantly harassing attacks
by the Italians and their French and
British allies. On other fronts inten-
sive bombardnents are reported from
several sectors and infantry and air
raids continue on an extensive scale.