The sun., 1918-01-26
VIEWS
AMAZE LONDON
Striking Disagreement of
Chancelleries Regarded as
Very Significant.
SOME SEE SIGN OF BREAK
Lord Robert Cecil Says Hert-
ling's Address Is a War
Speech, Not a Peace Talk.
SOME SEE SIGN OF BREAK
Special Cable Despatch 10 THs sux.

Sssrnt Cdbie Despatch 10 THs SUH.
copvrGht 1918: az rtOAs ressyrsd
LONDON, Jan 25.--British opinion IL
amazed at the remarkable performance
by Count Won Heruing. the German I'm
periai Chancellor. and Count Cxernin,
the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minis-
ter. whore speeches were most carefully
synchronizcd and published to the world,
but apparently signify a startling dis
agreement of the foreign offices Of the
Gernnnic countries.
No two commentators on the situa-
ton thus created agree. One decides
that necessarily Czcrnin and HertiinE
are playing deep game. in which they
thoroughly understand each other, be-
cause the delivery OF the speeches was
exactly timed. requiring that the two
should be construed together
Another critic Ands evidence of an
underlying agreement that the two
Chancellors in fact shall both formulate
speeches around the serious proposals Of
President Wilson. Yet another asserts
that the two Chancellors utterly dis
agree in the most vital features and
assumes that there Is real and serious
divergence in views between Germany
and Austria.
Strikes Have an Eject.
Other opinions assume that Count
Cxernin was compelled to make a
pacifist speech because of the recent up
heavals in Austria. his concessions to
pNA lduf
countered by Won Hertllns's particularly
truculent tone. Germany being the
dominant partner. chief importance II
attached to Won Hertling's utterance.
which. X 1t stood alone. unmodihed by
the Czernin address. would be almost
universally accepted ~ svidlnce Of the
absolute determination Of Germany 10
make no peace except conqueror' =
peace.
Despite Germany's predominance. how
ever ii is impossible to deny the i'm
portance of the more moderate tone of
Count Czernin. The recent disorders
in Austria unquesttonably were genuine
and serious and they greatly modified
the positions OF the Central Powers. The
best advices warrant the belief that IL
Count tzernin had made the speech of
Won Hertlin2 he would have caused uni
versal uproar in Austria. Apparently
each Chancellor arranged his tone in
recognition Of the dominating elements
in his own country at the moment with
the expectation that Won Hertling would
be regarded az the real spokesman Of
the Central empires. except In Austria,
where the people were expected to be-
lieve Czernin.
View of Lord Robert Cecil.
This apparently is the view Of the
British E.reign Office as expressed by
Lord Robert Cecil, its usual spokesman.
In conversa tion with the correspondent
Of THE Sun. He said:
chancellor Won Hertling's extremely y
warlike address was not peace b,t
war speech. II does not contain any
declaration of policy ip regard to Bel
gium. which l have always regarded as
the main issue Of the war. any reference
to which by the enemy always implied
desire to ties: the strength of Great
Britain.
"The speech undoubtedly was dictated
by Field Marshal Won Hindenburg. Won
Hertling is merely the nominee of the
military chieftain. 1t Is certain that
all the power in Germany was long
since assumed by the military party.
"An importaHt new issue is introduced
III tue hciIdiu tildt T<uBidIu TSllIluulSn
Gibraltar. Malta. &C. Won Hertling.
however. IL not entitled to speak for
Austria. Premier Lloyd George in his
recent address was cOnciliatory regard
Ing Austria, but II now Germany is per-
mitted to reject those proposals the ulti-
mate issue as regards Austria cannot be
as favorable as was infersed from Pre-
m!er Lloyd Georges utterance."
Thfs cryptic observation IL assumed to
suggest a threat Of harder terms for
Austria if she permits Germany to per-
sist In the policy of demanding con-
quests AZ Won Hertling outlined.
indications Of = Split.
Briefly summarized, opinion In London
views the speeches OF tn" two chancal-
lors az an indication either OF an I'M
pending decisive split between Germany
and Austria and the possibility that Aus
tria will attempt to make a separate
peace. beginning with approaches to the
United States. or else that the military
party in Germany demands n complete
military victory, with conquests and an
nexatiohs and the disintsgration of Rus
sia, relying on the Austrian weakness to
insure that the dual monarchy will con-
tinue the mere tail to the German kite.
Great Britain is astounded by the ar
rogant tone OF Chancellor Won HertlinE,
whose detailed specifications VI the Ger
man demands are regarded as surpass-
ing any German utterance heretofore.
making peace less hopeful than ever
This analysis comedies Especially with
British military opinion. which has long
been convinced that Germany Ia deter.
mined not to consider any peace terms
as possible with the Entente until final
supreme military effort has been made
to crush the Allies on the western front.
The naive efforts of Count Czernin to
initiate independent peace discussions be-
tween Austria and the United States Is
regarded az evidence OF an understand
ing between the Chancellors, because the
notion that the United States would be
glad to nnd an excuse for making ser
arate peace has long been a strange
German obsession.
The only impression such efforts make
In England Is in enforcing realisation of