Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-01
By the Associated Press

berlin, Feb. Count Won Bernstorn
has given the Associated Press state
ment written by him after consulta-
ton with Foreign Minister Brookdorff-
Rantzau and other high officials of the
German Foreign Office.
In view OF the fact that Count Won
Bernstorff is one of the men entrusted
with the working out of the details for
Germany's participation in the Peace
Conference and will. with the Foreign
Minister, be German delegate, the
statement may he regarded as official.
1t was written in English, as follows:
"The question what would Germany
consider a peace Of right and justice
may briefly be answered in this way:
THAT we would regard as such set
Element by which the terms of peace
laid down in President Wilson's address
TO Congress, January s, 1918. and the
principles OF settlement in his subse-
duent addresses, are carried out in
true accordance with tho high-minded
and far-seelng spirit in which they
were conceived
support League OF Nations
Among the fourteen points, the domi-
mating note, in our opinion is TO be at
tributed TO point number fourteen. pro-
yiding for the constitution of league
of nations, which, as Mr. Wilson said on
September %, Must be n part and In a
sense the most essential part OF the
peace settlement ITSELF
AS the great success OF the recently
founded German league of nations so
cisty proves, German leading men
clearly recognize that nothing but an
International league of free and equal
peoples can do away with Imperialism
and bring forth a new world of order
The German people feel that, given
such a league and compulsory arbitra-
ton peace negotiations would oner no
particular difficulties, while without lts
constitution in the peace settlement q
peace of right and justice Will be wel
nigh impossible.
with regard to the first. second and
third points In Mr.. WILSON'S program
we are in perfect accord with him. IN
connection with point number four II
NAV he mentioned that Germany Is
about TO abolish obligatory military
service, which thus far has been con-
sidered the cornerstone OF her eNpose"
position in Europe. As for point num-
her five. we welcome free, open-mlnueu
and absolutely Impartial ad)ustnienu VI
all colonial claims proposed by MT VIII
son and accepted by the Entehte gov,
ernn,ents and we are looking forward
TO n ulECuSSlOIl Vi NllOSo =,
Peace Conference in the spirit ouIii'eu
by the American president
wants BoIshevism Checked
Regarding point number six. we are
completely disnterested concerning an
ouestions relative to Russia. except IN
so far as they concern our own frontier.
Naturally, however. we do not oesire
a spread OF Bolshevism over Germany
and other countries.
"As for point number seven, we are
prepared TO pay for all damage done 10
the Belgian civil population ana tnelr
property as far as will be proven 10
have been perpetrated by German ag-
erosion. The same applies to point
number eight. relative to damage done
civilians and their property in northern
France. As for Alsace-Lorraine. we
could not consider It 'righting a wrong
If. through the peace settlement, new
wrong should be permitted. That, how
ever. would be the case if Germans
were compelled to become Frencn
against their will. Likewise, 1t must be
emphasized in connection with point
number nine that justice would forbid
forcing Germans to become Italian
subjects without their free consent.
point number ten, treating Oh thu
! question of Austria Hungary, has beer
| subsequently enlarged by the American
| Government, in the sense that the Sla'
nationalities of the former Dual Mon
archy must be granted, not only au
tonorny, but absolute self-determnation
Justice will demand that the same privi
lege be accorded to Austrian-Germans
In the same manner, we consider point
eleven and twelve merely the demand
of justice that various peoples of tn
Balkan peninsula and the Ottoman EN-
pire should be given their rights with
out distinction and the freest opportu
nity for self-determinaton,
"As regards point thirteen, justice