The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-12-12
CzERN|N SELECTS
GEN, LUDENDORFF
AS GOAT" OF WAR
SAYS G E r M A N GENERAL
STOOD BETWEEN CENTRAL
POWERS AND PEACE
AL W AVS OPPOSED IT
Former Austrian Foreign Minister
Declares Kaiser and Emperor
Francis Joseph Didn't Want War
He Hopes All Powers Will Dis
arm.

Vienna. Dec. o.--Count Czcrnin,
former Austro-Hungarian foreign
minister, discussed today his efforts
and those of the Austrian govern
ment to end the war and outlined
what in his estimation were the
problems to be settled before peace
can be made secure. He expressed
hope for an agreement among the
nations to disarm.
Count Czernin declared the Brest-
Litovsk peace treaty was the work
of the German military leaders and
painted General Ludendorff, quar-
termaster general of the German ar
my and virtual dictator of the en-
pire's military policy in the last days
of the conflict, as the man who stood
between the central empires and
peace on numerous occasions. Ell
forts 10 induce the German govern
ment to make concessions Of an i'm
portant nature seemed at times to
be near success. but Ludendorff was
adamant.
Recounting. the desperate efforts
on the part OF Austria to reach some
sort of peace before the final and
absolute collapse of both the Aus
trian and German empires, Count
Czernin said:
The German people wanted peace
long ago and even Emperor William
wanted to see the end of the war,
but the attitude OF England pre-
vented steps being taken. Emperor
William said to me OIL one OCCASION:
GLOW can we get peace with
England declaring that we must be
destroyed
Nothing is more dangerous in
politics than to see things as you
wish to see them. not as they are.
We understood that the only way to
arrange matters was to get England
and Germany to agree.
Alsace-Lorraine in the Way
with the knowledge OF Emperor
Charles, proposed to Emperor
William that Austria would give
Germany the province Of Galicia and
permit her to have her way in Rus
sian Poland, provided Alsace and
Lorraine were ceded back to France.
went to Kreizenach and presented
the plan to DR.. Bethmann-Holweg,
then German imperial chancellor.
Later he informed me that he was
forced to decline to enter into the
scheme. | do not know whether or
not Ludendorff had hand in the
matter, but ! was informed that it
was impossible to give up Alsace and
Lorraine because the German peo-
pie never would understand the Civ
ing up Of land which had cost so
much blood.
The situation of Germany was
dangerous, but nothing could be
done. Our conversations were pleas
ant and friendly and our sacrifices
were appreciated by the officials. |
saw, however, that | could not ar
range the matter because Germany
was obliged to obey the military
party.
Il then tried another way, I'm
known to the Germans, | sent Herr
Nassilko, socialist member of par
Lament, to Berlin to talk with
Matthias Erzberger, the clerical lead
er, and DR.. Albert O. w. Sueder-
KUN, socialist member, OF the
reichstag. He was to tell them why
the war must end and give them
both to understand that another
peace resolution should be intro
duced in the reichstag.
Ludendorff Against Peace
AT this juncture, however, the
German armies began TO win vic
tories once more and the rechstag
Continued on Page o.