Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-04-05
'CzERN|N' SPEECH
PEACE OFFENSIVE
AMERICAN AND ALLIED DlPLo
MATS SEE ANOTHER PLOT
IN WORDS OF AUSTRIAN.
INTENDED TO BRING DIscoRC
Aim Of Enemy 10 to Cause Diseon
tent. Among Populations Of A.
:. lied Countriee-9tatemente
Have No Basis Of Fact.

/ Washington, April 4.-Amertcay
government officials and the Allied
embassies sec another Teutontl
peace offensive in the speech Of
Count Czernin, the Austro- Hungarian
foreign minister. declaring that re.
Gently negotiations were near be.
tween the Austrian and tho Allied
governments.
The move, evidently conceived III
Germany, they said, was made just
as it became certain that the Ger.
man drive in the west had failed of
its purpose, and was intended to
bring discord among the Allied pow.
ers and to cause discomfort among
their populations.
- czernln Statements Unfounded.
The foreign minister's statement
that Premier Clemenceau of France
had advanced a suggestion of peace
discussions, and his reference to Al
sace-Lorraine as stumbling block,
it was declared here, were designed
to create the belief that the Allies
desire to recover Alsace-Lorraine for
France is the only thing that stands
In the way of peace.
Officials and members Of the diplo.
matte corps were unanimous in their
declarations that Czernin's state
ments had no basis of fact, and, fur
Their, that no peace suggestions
coming from the Teutonic powers
would be given consideration at this
time. There was no disagreement in
the conviction that Germany must be
defeated by force of arms before the
question of peace is taken up in any
way.
Some believe that Czernin's speech
is forerunner of some declaration
by the German government on the
subject.
Czernln Answers Wilson's Speech.
Count Czernin, the Austro-Hungar-
ian foreign minister addressed a dele.
cation from the Vienna city council,
which waited on him in connection
with what the burgomaster termed
the aggravated distress of the popu-
lation," which is closely connected
with the general political situation.
with the conclusion Of peace with
Roumania the war in the east ended"
he said. Before, however, turning
to individual peace treaties and dis
GUESSING them in detail, would like
to revert to the declaration Of the
President of the United States, in
which he replied to the speech de-
livered by me on January "a.
I'm many parts of the world Presi-
dent Wilson's speech was interpreted
as an attempt to drive a wedge be-
tween Vienna and Berlin. l do not
believe that, because I have too high
an opinion Of the President of the
United States and his outlook as a
statesman, to believe him capable of
such a way Of thinking. President
Wilson is no more able to ascribe die
action to us than we to
him.
Agrees With German Chancellor.
Il can only say" he continued,
that esteem it highly that the
German chancellor, in his excellent
speech of February Is, took the words
out Of my mouth declaring that the
four principles in President Wilson's
speech Of February II formed the
basis upon which general peace
could be discussed. I am in entire
agreeemnt with this.
"The four points laid down by the
President are suitable basis on
which to begin the discussion. for a
general peace. Whether, however,
the President will succeed in his en-.
deavors to rally his Allies On this
basis or not is a question.
"God is my witness that we have
tried every thing possible to avoid a
fresh offensive, but the Entente would
not have it thus
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