The Green Forest tribune., 1918-02-22

that l was aware of them at the time he was uttering them, but in this l am sure he was misunderstood. 1 had re- ceived no intimation of what he in tended to say There was, of course, no reason why he should communicate privately with me. I am quite content to be one of his public audience.
 HertIing's Reply Is Vague.
 Count von Hertling's reply is, l must say, very vague and very confus- ing. IL is full of equivocal phrases and leads, it is not clear, where. But it is certainly In q very different tone from that of Count Czernin and appar- ently of an opposite purpose. If con l firms, l am sorry to say, rather than i removes, the unfortunate impression made by what we had learned of the | conference at Brest-LitovSk. His dis cussion and acceptance of our general principles lead him to nc practical l conclusion.
 "He refuses to apply them to the substantive items which must consd- tute the body of any final settlement. He is jealous of international action and of international counsel. He ac- cepts, he says. the principle of public diplomacy. but he appears to insist that it be confined, at any rate in this case, to generalities, and that the sev- eral particular questions of territory and sovereignty, the several questions upon whose settlement must depend the acceptance of peace by the g states now engaged in the war, must be discussed and settled, not in gen eral council, but severally by the na- tions most immediately concerned by interest or neighborhood.
 Military Party Favored.
 'TIe agreed that the seas should be free, but looks askance at any limita- ton to that freedom by international action in the interest of the common order He would without reserve be glad to see economic barriers removed between nation and nation, for that could in no way impede the ambitions of the military party with whom he seems constrained to keep on terms. l Neither does he raise objection to a limitation of armaments. That mat ter will be settled of itself, he thinks, by the economic conditions which must follow the war. But the German col onies, he demands, must he returned without debate. He will discuss with no one but the representatives of Rus sia what dispositions shall be made of the peoples and the lands of the Baltic provinces with no one but the government of France the "conditionS" under which French territory shall he evacuated; and only with Austria what shall be done with Poland.
 Cannot Accept Vienna Peace.
 "In the determination of all ques- tions affecting the Balkan states he defers as I understand him to Aus tria and Turkey; and with regard to the agreements to be entered into con corning the non-Turkish peoples of the present Ottoman empire to the Turk ish authorities themselves. After settlement all around. effected in this fashion, by individual barter and con eession. he would have no objection. if I correctly interpret his statement, to a league of nations which would un- dertake to hold the new balance of power steady against external disturb ances.
 'It must be evident to everyone who understands what this wsr has wrought in the opinion and temper of the world that no general peace, no peace worth the infinite sacrifices of these years of traglcal suffering. can possibly be arrived at in any such | fashion.
 Refers to the Reichstag.
 "The method the German chancel- Tor proposes is the method of the con l crrncS of Nipnnn We cannot nrnd ,1,ill