The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21
PEACE POSSIDLEI In
1917, SAYS WEDEL
Return of Alsace-Lorraine
Was Price Germany Was
to Have Paid.
FAILURE IN ERzBERGER
Lloyd George and Ribot Pre-
pared to Go to Rome
to Open Parleys.
FAILURE IN ERzBERGER
,.,,,,, co,re,pondence to Tu. Sun.

s.,o;oi Correspondence to THr Sun.
pss,TN. Sept. 1o.--Count Botho Won
u.d.I former German Ambassador at
Wanna. has published in a Hamburg
- sense tional article in which
:, claims that peace was possible in
'o,7 % the German Government had
- yjlling TO restore Alssce-Lorraine
ve'I France. He further claims that
Lloyd George at tnat time was ie""' "
negotiate peace: - ,r,.. ~.
ranch Minister, had made prepare
.,ons 10 20 to Rome, wnere negotiations
',..rs TO be begun, writes the Count
Ins,ria at that time was ready to cede
.arr,torv TO Italy and add Galicia to an
,odsnendent Poland. says Count Won
W,odeI All this was spoiled by indis-
n,s,,ons committed by Matthias Err
SsrSer. the present Vice-Chancellor Of
Germany.
nota became known at Paris and re-
yived the hopes Of Lloyd George and the
French Cabinet Even plans for a sep
srata peace with Austria were then
abandoned. inasmuch as Austria's and
also Germany's collapse was considered
Imminent. In denying the truth of q
statement which claimed Erzberger had
stiffened the backbone Of Emperor
Charles and his ministry by his visit to
vienna, Count Won wedel writes:
"soon after the revolution in Petro-
grad In March, 1917. the Powers in
charge at Vienna had an attack of
nerves. Count Czernin, Minister Of
Foreign Affairs, submitted a confidential
report TO Emperor Charles on April ~.
This report was to be sent to German
headquarters. It was taken to HON.
burg BY Count Ledochowski. 1t was
the reports purpose to induce Germany
10 accept defeat and to cede territory to
France. Emperor Charles, accompanied
by Count Czernin, went to Homburg
and proposed to Emperor William and
his military advisers that Germany
should give up Alsace-Lorraine to
France, as Austria was willing to csde
territory and to give up Galicia to
Poland.
Austrian Report Failed.
The Austrian report did not accom-
plish the desired result at German head
quarters because it was overdrawn and
exaggerated the perils of the situation.
Military SucCeSScS dCllltNto
following weeks restored confidence at
Vienna, at least to a certain extent"
Bethmann- Hollweg, then Chancellor,
denies having sent Erzberger to Vienna
at that time "in order to stiffen the
Austrian Emperor's backbone" but. says
Count Won Wedel, Erzberger made sew
eral trips to Vienna on his own respon-
sibility Before departing he would
visit the Foreign Office at Berlin. have
talk with Ministers of State and then
create the impression in his talks with
foreign rulers that he was an ennis
sary OF the German Government. Erz-
berger reported back to Berlin that EN-
peror Charles had told him that peace
proposals would have to be made by
the Central Powers within three or four
months. In the meantime this plan
would have to be kept secret. About
three months later the German Reichs-
tag adopted Its resolution for a con-
eilatory peace without annexations.
} AT that time II was known that Err
berger knew something about Count
Czernin's confidential report" continues
Count Won Wedel. Later 1t became
known that Erzberger had had a copy
Of Czernin's report. An investigation
was undertaken at Vienna to find out
how ErZberger had obtained the report
The investigation showed that there
had not been any breach of confidence
on the part of any Austrian official, but
In Austria (from the Emperor him
self?.
The Berlin Government was dis
agreeably surprised when a Rhenish
newspaper quite unconcernedly dis
cusSed the Czernin report. 1t was
noted that Erzberger himself discussed
me report at a mass meeting at Frank
fort Thus the secret found its way to
Paris. The secret report was discussed
by Paris paper-I think the Temps
with apparent qualification. II one con-
templates the contents of the report one
is bound to appreciate the agreeable
surprise felt at the French capital.
Lloyd George shalky.
Since then we have 1t from a French
diplomat who let It out at Vienna that
there was time in 1917 when Lloyd
george, who had the deciding voice as
10 peace or war, had become shaky as
result of the submarine war and had
9eeh receptive as to a negotiated peace.
Lloyd George and Ribot, the French
Minister, had been ready to leave for
nome, where the question OF beginning
regulations was to be decided. The
UP had been abandoned as soon as the
contents Of the Czernin report became
known at Paris
The same French diplomat is also
credited with the statement that the
nzernln report had become known al
raris and created immense surprise In
oIIclal circles. The Entente leaders be-
gsne convinced that Austria was fin
,shed and that Germany's position per-
.1ps was Just as bad. From then on
Me Entente gave up every idea of a
Iesee or Cancellation, because they were
.ohVinced OF having won the war Even
,le thought of a separate peace with
austria was dropped. Every week and
very month news announcing AUSTRIA
r,'er collapse was expected at Paris.
,hey could not explain the forcefui Of.
,,cnsNes inaugurated by Germany in the
sh or 1917 and in the spring Of 1918,
III view Of the Czernin report.
IN order to rgrnove any possible mis-
understandings may be permitted to
nmit sort of indiscretion. Count
,TScrhln told me he knew Of no negotia-
v uUns on the part of Erzberger to pre-
@ premature peace overtures on the
M OF Austria, for the simple reason
"at such oyertures had never been con-
h"pidted He, Czernin. had been visited
Erzberger and had talked with him
,, 'he general situation. He, Csernin,
w." expressed his doubts as to the ef
49,. OF the submarine war, while Err
Respect -- ''''s
Count Czernin wrote me he had sum-
h,unea Erzberger to Vienna as soon as
~ SIernin, heard OF the leak caused by
E1oerseTs indiscretion. He had asked
, m. TO defend his course in CIV
s OUT the contents of the confidential
,sport Erzberger was shocked when
'oiu what tremendous res,,Ita ri. tud,.-