The sun., 1919-09-07
TOLD TO ASK PEACE
OR LOSE HIS CROWN
Czernin Warned Emperor
Charles in April, 1917, That
Austria Was Defeated.
PREDICTED REVOLUTION
"People Will Act Over Their
Monarchs' Heads" Wrote
Foreign Minister.

VhOhSh
THE SUN presents herewith a letter
which Count ottocar von czernin, as
Foreign Minister OF Austria, wrote TO
Emperor Charles, dated April IL, 1917.
1t Is possibly the franxest communication
ruler ever has received from one Of his
Ministers. In 1t Count Czernin implores
the Emperor to make peace before the
German and Austrian peoples would rise
and make peace over the monarchs'
heads" He predicts the failure OF the
U-boat warfare and warns Charles OF
the decisive role America would play.
The letter was first mentioned the
other day, when Dr. Matthias Erzberger,
the German vice-Premier, startled the
Welmar Assembly with his revelations
about peace overtures during the war
Count Czernin in making the document
public reveals for the first time that,
while Il was meant to be read only by
the Austrian and German Emperors ana
the Austrian Premier, 1t came into the
possession of Erzberger and subsequently
became known to the Allies.
Influenced Allies Decision.
By inference, Count Czernin shows
that the Allies knowledge of the con-
tents of this letter was one of the rea-
sons why all Teutonic peace proposals
Nihenceforward were futile, since 1t gave
the Entente Powers a true picture OF the
Internal conditions in the Central
Powers. In his introduction to the
publication the Count says:
"As far as 1 can judge from excerpts
~
does not give an exhaustive presentation
of the events in question. Many highly
important incidents are not mentioned
at all. This makes an incomplete pic
turs.
MY letter was meant solely for the
two Emperors and the (Austrian) Chan
eellor. There was hope at that time to
come to a peace of understanding, even
at the cost of sacrifices.
MY report was conveyed to Erzber-
ger behind my back by an irresponsible
third party and Erzberger did not keep
II secret. l must explicitly state, how
ever, that Erzberger acted in good faith
and in the we'll founded conviction that
he was preceding in the sense of those
to whom he was responsible. Thus he
revealed the contents of my letter, which
was to have been kept strictly secret
Published Through Erxberger.
Through Erzberger's procedure the
letter then came to the knowledge of
our enemies, and any one who reads it
can imagine the consequences.
81 might add that l could prove what
l say in the letter as well as many
other things not hitherto mentioned, by
documents now in my hands.
II learned of the transmittal of my
letter to Erzberger when 1t was too late
to undo the damage. However the mat
ters touched upon by Erzberger and
Count Won Wedel are only links in the
whole chain of irresponsible backstairs
politics which 1 did not discover until
a year later and which prompted my
resignation.
my book on the world war, which
will appear shortly. will clear up-as
far as 1 deem it advisa ble-the political
events in question, and in it shall prove
the truth by Official documents"
Text of the Letter.
The text Of Count Czernin's letter fol-
lows:
Most Gracious Sire-Will your
Majesty permit me to present my view
of the situation with that frankness
which was granted me from the first
day OF my incumbency in office?
II is perfectly plain that our military
strength is nearing it's end. To develop
lengthy details supporting this conten-
ton would be misusing your Majesty s
n time.
Allow me merely to point to the fast
diminishing raw materials for the pro-
duction of munitions; to the completely
exhausted human material and, above
all. to the sullen despair that has seized
all sections Of the population on &C
count of undernourishment, and which
makes 1t impossible to bear the suf-
ferings of war much longer.
Though l do hope that We will sue
coed in holding out through the next
few months, and in keeping up sue
cessful defensive, / am nevertheless abb
solutely certain that another winter
campaign is out of the question-in
other words that either in the late
autumn or fall we must end the war
at any price.
Urged Appeal for Peace.
II is. without doubt. of the greastest
Importance to initiate peace negotiations
at a moment when the vanishing of our
strength is not yet fully realized by the
enemy.
ment when the internal events of the
empire indicate the neaness of general
collapse. our effort will be in vain. and
the Entente will accept no conditions
save such as will signify the complete
destruction of the Central Powers.
To start negotiations at the psychology
teal moment is. therefore, of cardinal
Importance.
In this connection l cannot refrain
from mentioning the subject upon which
my whole argument bases itself-painfu
though it is for me to touch upon IT,
This is the menace of revolution which
rises upon the horizon of all Europe and
which, aided and abetted by England
represents the latter's newest type OF
warfare.
Five monarchs have been dethroned
In this war, and the amazing ease with
which the hitherto strongest monarchy
IN the world was toppled may we'll give
food for serious thought and TO recall
the old proverb, "Exempla trahunt"
New Era Opened by War.
Let no one answer me that the firm
roots Of the monarchkal idea preclude
such a happening in Berlin or Vienna:
This war has opened a new era sn the
worlds history. II has no precedents
and no set rules. The world is no longer
the same that 1t was three years ago,
and one looks In vain in history for
anAlogies for all the events that have
become daily routine with us.
Any statesman who is not blind or
deaf must see and hear how the dark
despair is daily growing among the neo.