The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-02-11

Sth, is uttered in a very friendly tone
| He finds in my statement a sufficiently
| encouraging approach to the views of
his own government to justify him in
believing that it furnishes a basis for
| more detailed discussion of purposes by
| the two governments. He is represent
Ct to have intimated that the views he
was expressing had been communicated
| TO me before hand and that l was aware
Of them-At the time he was uttering
them: but in this I am sure he was mis-
understood. ! had received no intima
ton of what he intended to say. There
was, Of course, no reason why he should
communicate privately with me. I am
quite content to be one of his public
audience
Won Hertling Replied Vaguely
Count Won Hertling's reply is, l must
say very vague and very confusing. It
is full of equivocal phrases and leads
nowhere. But it certainly is very differ
ent in tone to that from Count CZernin
and apparently Of an opposite purpose
1t confirms, ! am sorry to say rather
than removes, the unfortunate impress
sion made by what we had learned Of
| the conference at Brest Litovsk, His
discussion and acceptance of our gen
nral principles lead him to no practical
'onclusions.
He refused to apply them to the sub
stantive items which must constitute
| tn body of any final settlement. He is
! jealous of international action and OF
international counsel He accepts, he
says. the principle of public diplomacy
| but he appears to insist that it be con
| fined, at any rate in this case, to gen.
! eralities, and that the several particular
questions of territory and sovereignty
the several questions upon whose set
tlement must depend the acceptance Of
peace by the twenty-three states now
engaged in the war, must be discussed
and settled, not in general council, but
severally by the nations most immedl
atey concerned by interest or neighbor
hood
Those Free Seas.
"He agrees that the seas should be
free, but looks askance at any limitation
to that freedom by international action
in the interest of the common order
He would with reserve, be glad to see
economic barriers removed between ma
tion and nation, for that could in no
way impede the ambitions of the mill.
tary party with whom he seems con
s'~ained to keep on terms.
Neither does he raise objection to a
limitation of armaments. That matter
will be settled Of itself he thinks, by
the economic conditions which must
follow the war. But the German -
onies, he demands, must be returned
without debate.
He will discuss with no one but the
representatives of Russia what disposi
tions shall be made of the peoples and
lands of the Baltic provinces--but no
one but the government of France, the
| conditions under which French terri
tory shall be evacuated; and only with
Austria what shall be done with Poland
In the determination of all questions af
fecting the Balkan states, he refers, as
/ understand him, to Austria and Tur
key; and with regard to the agreements
to be entered into concerning the non
Turkish peoples of the present Ottoman
empire, to the Turkish authorities them
selves
Scheme Is Transparent.
after a settlement all around, effect
ed in this fashion, by individual barter
and concession, he would have no oh
lection, if l correctly interpret his state