El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-11
Ell PASC HERALD
Asserts Too Much
Diplomatic Bluff
CanSedGreat War
Count Czernin Says Luden-
dorf Oftentimes Pre-
vented Peace.

Vienna, Austria, Dec. 11.-CBy The
Associated Press Faith in president
Wilson was expressed by count Ger
min, former Austro Hungarian foreign
minister in discussing the problems
that must be settled before peace is
made secure.
Count Czernin painted Gen Luden-
dorff as the man who stood between
the central empires and peace on
numerous occasions. Recounting the
desperate efforts on the part OF the
Austrians to reach some sort OF peace
before the final and absolute collapse
Of both the Austrian and German en-
pire, count Czernin said;
Says Huns Desired Peace.
THE German people wanted peace
/ long ago and even emperor William
wanted to see the end of the war, but
the attitude Of England prevented
steps being taken Emperor William
said to me on one occasion:
How can we get peace with Eng
land. declaring that we must be de-
stroyedT
we understood that the only way
to arrange matters was to get Eng
land and Germany to agree.
I sent count Mensdorff 10 SwitZer-
land TO see Ger. J. c. SHUTS (whO was
in Switzerland last March in the in
terests Of the British government) He
succeeded but I was unable to tell
just what terms Germany would
make. I do not recall that Mr.. Lloyd
George mentioned any conditions last
February Germany assured me that
no definite offers were received from
England and believe this was true.
Allies Would Crush Foe.
England appeared to intend to
crush Germany. and France showed a
similar attitude President Wilson
was the only head Of an allied power
who did not appear to have this in
mind Emperor William could not
bring himself TO yield Alsace and
Lorraine
Regarding emperor William. feel
that he did not want the war, but he
did not know how TO get out OF it. I
was minister to Rumania when the
war began and / honestly believe that
no one wanted hostilites to begin. I
have the Impression that neither en-
peror Francis Joseph. emperor Will
IAN nor their ministers wanted war.
might explain the fact that war
started by saying that there was too
much diplomatic bluffing. with every
one looking for the other fellow to re-
cede from his position.
COuzdn't Dictate TO Berlin.
Every way to get out Of the war
was tried by US excepting war with
Germany When one considers how
much weaker than Germany we were.
ne can see how impossible Il was for
me 70 dictate terms. Now. II president
Wilson finds Il difficult to impress
his views on the entente. how was il
possible for man like me to do any
thing with Germany
4 hope that an agreement TO dis
arm viii be reached. President VIII
son is the man who Is able TO bring
this about. I believe his plan for a
league OF nations is feasible and
would solve the whole problem
Brest-LitOEsk Treaty Forced.
7 signed the peace treaty OF Brest-
Litovsk. but we got nothing from it.
This fact is worthy Of mention 1t was
Ludendorff who forced DR.. Richard
Won Kuehlmann, German foreign Sec
rotary. to make that peace We oc-
cupieo the southern end OF the line. I
whereas Germany had her troops
against the line in the north. Gen.
Hoffman then declared he would move
on Petrograd II Leon TrotzlCy, Bolshe- !
vik foreign minister, did not sign the
treaty.
Ludendorff says seNo.s
''Dr. Won Kuehlmann and I had
hoped TO make peace with Russia on !
the basis OF president Wilson's princi- /
pies, but Ludendorff always tele- !
graphed no TO our proposals. I |
worked day and night to bring Won /
and Trotzky together. At I
the last moment, the latter sent his |
famous telegram TO the world. de- /
handing that the German people re- |
volt and destroy their government. |
This telegram inflamed Berlin. which /
denounced TrOtzky as a man with /
whom il would not treat Then 1
Trotzky was informed that the Ger 1
man troops would occupy Courland 4
and Lithuania and would advance on i
pefrngrad -