The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-09-12
No PEACE TALK
IN VICTORY DAYS

The battle OF Gorlice was fought
IN May. 1915. subsequently, there.
CORRESPONDING TO Count Cxernin--
there was no chance OF peace AZ all.
even at the cost OF considerable sac
rlfiees. And even II there had been
chance. either In May. 1915. or
later. not only the German military
party. but almost the whole Ger.
man people would have refused Il 10
long as they fei, proudly eonfiden,
of their strength.
This confidence and strength
should have been fostcrcd by the
statesmen. 20 keep the will to vic.
tory alive in the country. and pre-.
serve Il from the immcaAurable dis
nHter Of defeat The determination
OF our enemies being what IL was.
there could be no middle course. Our
viii in the matter was OF no account
That Of the enemy was not yet
broken. When this had bern effected
by military victory the diplomats
might talk about rcconciliation--IF
THEY STILL WANTED TO.
~ the beginning Of April. 1917. the
kaiser received the Emperor Charles
at Homburg. The latter was accom-
panied BY Count Czornin and General
Won Arz. The chancellor. tho field
nnruhal and were also summoned
Herr won Bc;hmann ard Count Ger,
min had already met.
on March ~ these gentlemen had
come 20 an agreement recorded In
the Vienna Document" Of that date
10 included the minimum conditions
OF peace. based on the status quo
ante. and In case Of n favorable out
como Of the war. n program Of set
Element In accordance with the ideas
I represented. No mention was
made Of any renunclation whatever.
This important document was first
known 60 tho secretaries Of state and
@. H. Q. on February 5. 1918.
While kings and councillors were
discussing affairs at Hornourr. Gen.
crai Won Arz. the fieid.marshai and
held consultation on the situa.
ton. We had occupied tho sicg.
fried linz. and wrrc expecting the
great April offcnaives. considered
the British attack imminent The
result OF the submarine campaign In
March had been good. and the min.
lstry of tho interior began 60 build
rhlFh hopes upon H. The Importance
Of America was given due weight.
Our verdict on tho situation was
grave but confident. We hoped 10 re-.
pulse the entente attacks in the near
future. but for tho rest had 20 await
the results OF tho submarine cam.
paign and the developments Of
events IN Russia.
General won Arz had similar
hopes for the Austro Hungarian
front. but added that. in consequence
%, lack ~ raw materials and Of the
heavy demands on man power. the
Auntro Hungarian army could only
fight on until tho winter. There was
no difference % opinion rs 10 the
necessity for prosecuting tho war
for the present with tho utmost en-.
crgy. II was impossible to forcsee
how events might have developed By
the winter.
About midday there was a consul.
tation between the German imperial
chancellor. Count C1ernln. the field
marshal. General Won ArZ and my
self. Tho chancellor asked mo before
the discussion began whether
thought tho time had come TO make
move for peace. | could only an.
swer that the entente were about 10
make an immense effort. and that
did not think the moment favorable
from the military point 81 view. Tho
question was not further discussed.
even in connection with the Russian
revolution