The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-11
CHEERING SOLDIERS OF 10Th DIVISION,
CARRYING TROPHIES OF THE GREAT WAR,
STEPPED ON AMERICAN SOIL ONCE MORE
BLAMES LUDENDORFF
FOR KEEPING UP VAR
Count Czernin, Former Austro- Hunga-
rian Foreign Minister, Says He Blocked
Several Moves for Peace, Says Ger
man People Wanted Peace.

Vienna, Monday, Dec. tBy the Asso-
ciated Press) Count Czernin, the for
mer Austro Hungarian foreign minister,
discussed to-day his efforts and that Of
the Austrian government 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-li-
tovsk peace treaty was the work of the
German military leaders and painted
General Ludendorff, the quartermaster
general Of the German army and virtual
dictator of the empires military policy
IN the last days of the conflict, as the
man who stood between the central EN-
pres and peace ON numerous occasions.
Efforts to induce the German govern.
ment to make concessions of an impor-
tant nature seemed at times to be near
success, but Ludendorff was adamant.
Reeounting the desperate efforts on the
part OF Austria to reach some sort Of
peace before the final and absolute coll
lapse Of both the Austrian and German
empires, Count CzerHin said:
The German people wanted peace long
ago, and even Emperor William wanted
to see the end OF the war, but the Gtti-
tude of England prevented steps being
taken. Emperor William said to me on
one occasion: How can we get peace
with England declaring we must be de-
stroyedt z
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.
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 Russian Poland, provid- |
ed Alsace and Lorraine were ceded back
to France. | went to Kreizenach and
presented the plan to DR.. Bethmann- I
hollweg, then German imperial chancel-
lor. Later he informed me that he was |
forced to decline to enter into the scheme
do not know whether or not Ludendorif /
had hand in the matter, but was in
formed that It was impossible TO give up
Alsace and Lorraine because the German
people never would understand the civ.
ing up of land which had cost 50 much
blood.
The situation OF Germany was dan
gerous, but nothing could be done. Our
were pleasant and friendly.
aud our sacrifices were appreciated bv /
officials. ] saw, however, that / could
not arrange the matter because Germany
was obliged TO obey the military party1
l then tried another way. Unknown toll
the Germans, sent Herr Vassilko, a So
cialist member OF Parliament, to Berlin
to talk with Matthias Erzberger, the eler-
lcal leader, and DR.. Albert O. W. Suder.
KUN, a Socialist member OF the Reich
stag. he was to tell them why the war
must end and give them both to under
stand that another peace resolution
should be introduced in the Reichstag.
directed against both the military party
and the Pan-Germans.
AT this juncture, however, the Ger
nan armies began to win victories once ]
more and the Reichstag did nothing.
Thus we were badly situated. When our
chances were bad and the entente ma.
ions were elated they would NOT talk
leace When we were winning, Luden- /
iorh would not consent to permit peace
~ 'tENSiabiohn't Always wanted TO Use / 4
'lctory as an opportunity to bring about
'eace, and several times had an impres. ;
ion that ! might succeed.
Il sent Count Mensdorff TO Switzer- '
and to see General j. c. SHUTS fwho Z
vas in Switzerland last March in the in.
erests of the British government,. He a
ucceeded, but | was unable TO tell lust .
Vhat terms Germany would make do
lot recall that Mr.. Lloyd George, the !,
British premier, mentioned any condi-
ions last February Germany assured n
ne that no definite offers were received g
rom England and believe this was e
rue. ~
England appeared to intend to crush Il
and France showed a similar p
ttitude. President Wilson was the only v
cad of an allied power who did not an. !,
ear to have this in mind. Emperor u
William could not bring himself to yield u
.lsace and Lorraine" q