The Monticellonian., 1918-02-22

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 sure he was misunderstood. l 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. l am quite content to be one of his public audience.
 Hertlng's Reply Is Vague.
 Count von Hertling's reply is, must say, very vague and very confus- ing. It Is full of eduivoeal phrases and leads, it is not clear, where. But it is certainly in very different tone from that of Count Czernin and appar- ently of an opposite purpose. It con firms, I am sorry to say. rather than removes, the unfortunate impression made by what we had learned of the conference at Brest-Litovsk. His dis cussion and acceptance of our general l principles lead him to no practical i conclusion.
 He refuses to apply them to the 1 substantive items which must eonsti- ute the body of any final settlement l He is jealous of international action 1 and of international counsel. He ac- cepts. he says, the principle of public 1 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 23 states now engaged in the war, must be discussed and settled. not in gen eral council. but severally by the na- lions most immediately concerned by interest or neighborhood.
 Military Party Favored. "He agreed that the seas should be free, but looks askance at any limita- tion 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. 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 be 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.
 Tn the determination of all ques- lions affecting the Balkan states he defers as I understand him to, Aus tria and Turkey; and with regard to the agreements 10 be entered into con corning the non-Turkish peoples of the present Ottoman empire to the Turk lsh authorities themselves. After a settlement all around. effected in this fashion, by individual barter and con cession. he would have no objection. If I correctly interpret his statement. to q league of nations which would un- dertake to hold the new balance of power steady against external disturb ances.
 "It must he 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 tragical suffering, can possibly be arrived at In any such fashion.
 Refers to the Reiehstag.
 "The method the German chancel- Tor proposes is the method of the con- gress of Vienna. We cannot and will not return tc that. What Is at stake | now Is the peace of the world What | We are striving for Is a new interna- | tional order based upon broad and uni | versal principles of right and justice no mere peace of shreds and patches. Is it possible that Count von Hertling does not see that. does not grasp 1t, is, | In fact, living in his thought in d world l dead and gone? Has he utterly for | gotten the reichstag resolutions of the 18th of July, or does he deliberately | ignore them? They spoke of the con- | ditions of a general peace, not of na- l tional aggrandizement or of arrange ments between state and state. The | peace of the world depends upon the | just settlement of each of the several problems to which I adverted In my recent address to the congress. 1. of course, do not mean that the peace of the world depends upon the accept ance of any particular set of sugges- :.ens as to the way In which those problems are to he dealt with. I mean only that these problems, each and all. affect the whole world that unless they are dealt with in a spirit of un- selfish and unbiased justice, with a 1 view to the wishes, the natural connec- tions. the racial aspirations, the se- curity and peace of mind of the peo- ples involved, no permanent peace will have been attained.
 "They cannot be discussed separate ly or in corners. None of them con- stitutes a private or separate interest from which the opinion of the world may be shut out. Whatever affects the peace affects mankind, and nothing settled by military force, If settled wrong, Is settled at all. It will pres ently have to be reopened.
 All Nations in Judgment
 "Is Count von Hertling not aware l that he is sneaking in the cnnrt nI