The Washington herald., 1918-01-26
Officials See Possible Basis
for Ending War with
Dual Monarchy.
MILITARISTS PREPARED
TO PLAY TRUMP CARD
Kaiser and Prussians Mob
ilize Reserves for Final
Drive on West.

Inc door Is not closed 10 sep
arate peace proposal from Austria.
This was the comment in official
quarters last night on the sugges-
ton of Count Czernin, the Austrian
premier. that profit might come
from a direct exchange between
the United States and the Dual
Monarchy.
At any time that AustriaHun-
gary desires. it was explained, she
can submit her proposition. The
way lies open through the medium
of Spain or Switzerland. And
should it come. the proposition
would be given such consideration
it deserves.
Suggests .Starting Point
Thus far nothing official has come
to indicate that Austria has any such
step in mind. The only information
here, IL was stated, was that furnish
ed by the press reports from Copen-
hagen, quoting Czernin as saying that
Austria-Hungary and the United
States were already virtually in &C
cord on fundamental principles. and
quoting him as adding, in his speech
before the Reichsrath:
1T is obvious to me that an eX-
change of views between America and
Austria-Hungary might form the
starting point for a conciliatory dis
cussion among all states which have
not yet entered into peace negotia-
tions."
The suggestion in many respects
! overshadowed the speech delivered
yesterday before the main committee
of the German Reichstag by Won Her
Ting, the German chancellor. At the
same time there was skepticis1n as to
the genuineness of the proposal. II,
as some officials interpreted ii, II was
intended as a hint to the United States
to make the move, II viii fail of its
purpose.
Respecting the press summaries Of
| Won Hertling's speech. the State De
partment was extremely cautious to
refrain from detailed comment. Ex-
! perience has taught officials there
| that these summaries are frequently
vitiated in their meaning and effect
by the context of the official utter
ance. Arrangements have been made
to get the complete text The Amer
lean Legation at The Hague is ex-
pected to forward whatever comes
through to the Dutch newspapers
from the Wolff Agency-the official
mouthpiece Of the German govern
ment-and in the German papers that
get over the border.
BY tonight, it is expected, the full
context will be in hand. As always.
it will go to the President for his
examination.
German Opinion Divided.
While there is reserve in the atti-
tude of the State Department pend
ing the arrival of the complete text,
the general impression left on the
minds Of officials here is that Won
Hertling is seeking to straddle an in
ternal political situation in Germany
composed of increasingly antagonistic
elements.
L
it is assumed, were responsible for
the continued refusal Of the chancel-
lor to agree to an unconditional evac-
uation of Belgium and other occupied
territory.
Demands Of the Liberals, on the
other hand, for guarantees against a
repetition of the war cataclysm, II Is
assumed, dictated the assurances that
Germany would discuss such matters
as disarmament.
Beyond this, it Is thought in official
quarters here, the purpose of the
chancellor was to play of the allies
one against the other. Alsace-Lor-
raipe, he says, is a matter for Ger
many and France to decide, rejecting
also the idea put forth by President
Wilson that there can be any general
international interest in the question
as to whether Germany does or does
not respect the territorial integrity
of Russia, or Italy gets from Austria
such territorial concessions as she de-
mands.
Militarists Land Stand.
Finally, as officials see it, the mill
tarists of Germany see the time ap-
preaching for their final trump to be
played. The military situation on the
Western front is now conceded by
both sides to show a comparison in
numbers of men favorable to Ger
many.
1t is to meet this temporary dispar-
ity before the spring and summer ac-
tivities begin that the allies and the
United States are bending every effort
to place more men on the firing line.
The war summaries of Secretary OF
War Baker and the announcements OF
the British government are all OF a
tone In predicting decisive military Is
sues soon to come. The Prussian war
lord, as some interpreters read the
Won Hertling speech, believes that he
has one desperate chance remaining on
the battlefield.
Pending the taking Of this chance
representatives of the allies here re-
gard all offers Of peace as insincere
and unacceptable. A French diplo-
mat commenting on the Czernin and
Hertling speeches yesterday after
noon, said:
'They agree with us in the abstract
but differ when they get to the con-
crete. 1t Is the same plan that they
used with Russia II the allies were
CONTINUED ON PAGE EIeHT.