Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.
usTRIAN diplomacy promises

a USTRIAN diplomacy promises to
IN cut a lesser figure in the imme-
~ date future than in the past.
q & but in spite of Count Czernins
fall as foreign minister and the COM
piete dominance Of the war party for
the time being, Austrian diplomacy Will
be found working toward a peace set
Element. 1t has certain. characteristics
which make this sure.
Notwithstanding the recent revela-
lions of duplicity, Austrian diplomacy Is
neither worse nor better than historic
European diplomacy has been for CEN
turtles. 1t has more ref1nements and
delicacy than German diplomacy, be-
cause the Austrian Teutons are really
more civilized than the Prussian Teu-
tons, There is less of the barbarian In
Vienna than in Berlin. Vienna might be
cynical about being caught in ne
because professional diplomacy 1s al
ways cynical on this point. but 1t would
not accept the exposure with the brutal
frankness that German diplomacy does
when it is caught lying.
Austrian diplomacy has had certain
peculiarities, due to the fact that Aus
tria never has been nation In the
sense of France. England or Italy, or
even of Germany, but congeries of DIFF
ferent peoples and races. speaking dif-
ferent languages and having no COM
mon ground of nationality. TO pre-
serve this patchwork SO that the
patches will not be incorporated into
other nations or set up for themselves
has been the chief task OF austrian
diplomacy for century. 1t had a nor
NAL and natural beginning century
ago, when Napoleon's power made It
necessary for Austria to save what she
could of herself through the co-opera-
ton and support of other european
powers Circumstances made her TOT
half a century power. In EUROPE that
it is difficult now to realize.
The beginning of modern Austrian
diplomacy was at the congress OF Vi
emma in 1915, when the states OF Europe
were parceled out to the pig powers powers.
regardless of their own wishes or their
own interests. 1t Is this congress or
Vienna to which President Wilson has
referred several times In expressing
the firm determination that whenever
the peace settlement comes this settle
ment shah be based on everything that
the congress of Vienna was not based
on-that is, the different peoples shall
have a right to determine their. own
government.
The cong1 ess of Vienna. among other
things, confirmed the destruction of
Poland and it's partition among Prus-
STA, <Russia and Austria. Notwithstand-
ing that England was party to 1t as a
prevent Napoleons complete DONNA
ton, her statesmen sought to mollify
it's support Of absolutism.
The great figure at the congress of
Vienna and in European events for
nearly half a century afterWard was
Prince Metternich. He understood as
no other European statesman the prob
lens which confronted Austria, and he
developed it's policy SO as to secure the
acauiescence of the rest of Europe.
He was the incarnation of absolutism.
always ready and even eager to oppose
any movement for democratic lnstltu-
tions anywhere in Europe. His infiu-
ence was so strong that some historians
In describing the period from 1915 to
the midcentury have called 1t Europe
under Metternich.
The German confederation which fol-
lowed Waterloo was evolved by Meter
mich. 1t was declared to be ineffective
for offense, but efficient against French
aggression, Yet it was very effective
In taking the offensive to crush out
popular movements everywhere and to
preserve the privileges of the house Of
Hapsburg.
Prussia in those decades was the doc
lie pupil, the ward even, of Meter
Mich. 1t was he who showed the Prus-
sian autocrats how to strangle the
germs of liberalism, and he extended
the iron hand of Austria to aid them In
doing it.
Only once during forty years was
Metternich's influence overcome. When
the wave of liberalism and of republic
institutions was sweeping over Europe
in the late 40s it got momentum enough
temporarily to engulf Austria. Meter
mich was forced to consent to liberal
constitution, and when this was not
enough he had to take flight. His ex-
lie did not last long. Prussia, following
the precepts which Metternich had in