New-York tribune., 1918-01-26
Hertling Guided
By the Militarists.
London Believes
Certainly Not a Peace
Speech, Is Opinion of
Lord Robert Cecil

LONDON, Jan. 25.-Chancellor Won
Hertling's speech was characterized to-
day by Lord Robert Cecil. Minister of
Blockade, in a statement to The AS
soclated Press, as Every warlike, GER
talnly not a peace speech" He added
that the speech had been dictated by
Hindenburg and Ludendorff, and con-
tanned no declaration of policy regard
ing Belgium. which he had always
looked to Is a test Of the reality of
any proposals from the Other side.
Lord Robert declared that he always
expected that power in Germany would
: be openly assured by the military
party. He added that when Count Won
Hertling was appointed Chancellor he
regarded him as the nominee of the
militarists. Lord Robert said
81 see that Won Hertlng has a new
suggestion. that England shall reln-
quish Gibraltar, Malta, etc 1t is a
wonder that he did not add the Isle Of
Wight.
His speech is not peace speech.
1t is war speech, AS | read it."
In regard to Austria, the Minister of
Blockade said:
"The statements of President Wilson
and Premier Lloyd George were GER
tainly of a concliatory character" and
he expressed the view that Won Hert-
linS's apparent rejection of them would
not help the situation.
When asked if he thought that Won
Hertling was speaking for Austria Lord
Robert remarked: 'Austria is still a
sovereign state"
] he Minister Of Blockade to- day re-
ceivcd Finnish dclepation. and in
commenting on this occurrence told
the correspondent that England, like
America, greatly sympathzcd with
Finland, but had not yet done more
to recognize the government Of Fin
land as a dc facto institution. Great
Brltaln's attitude toward the Ukraine.
Lord Robert said. was the same as
that toward Russia-the keeping open
of unofficial communication to protect
British interests unofficially.
The afternoon papers here regard
the speech of Hertling as a tissue of
evasions and inconsistencies They
point out that Germany proposes to
have certain questions settled by a
general conference Of powers. where
she thinks she may gain the advantage
BY that method, and insists on separate
negotiations for other questions for
example. that the demands for the
cNdCudllOu VI NOTlnCTn L france shall be
arranged with France alone, but the
evacuation of Belgium would be ar
ranged by general conference
Germany also insists that all the
Russian questio-. should be settled
with Russia alone and that the Polish
questions concern only Germany and
Austria, but that the British colonies.
which the Central Powers never have
been able to touch during the war.
shall be considered by an international
conference with view to taking some
of them away from Great Britain.
This last proposal meets with an iron
clad refusal from the British press.
THE Westminster Gazette" saws:
IF Won Hertling's speech is what it
appears to be the next word will be
not for US but for Czernn and the
Austrian Parliament and people"
The first impression created in Lon
don by the summaries of the replies OF
Count von Hertling and Count Czernin
to President Wilson and Premier Lloyd
George is that the Austrian viewpoint
shows signs of independence and does
not follow the German policy in sew
eral respects.