The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-08
By COUNT OTTOKAR
CZERNIN.


America IN austria.
The energy and force OF the
Americans are traits valued highly
on the borders OF the Danube. and
the diverse relief organizations
sent by the United States 10
stricken Austria have won our af-
fections and our trust
In spite of Wilson-for I regret
to have to openly state that the
former President has not an admirer
nor a friend left in all Austria
We look toward America as TO a
guiding star OF destiny.
There are doubts in Austria as
to whether Wilson came to grief
with his fourteen points" out OF
sheer inability, as the well-known
Englishmsn Keynes asserts in his
book, or whether because he
played an unfair game. Today the
prevailing opinion throughout Cen
trail Europe is that Wilson was the
ruin OF the Central Powers, and
that he is thus guilty Of the utter
economic shipwreck of the world. a
calamity in which Americans
share.
WILSON ausWcrt0 tt1m.
When Wilson proclaimed his
fourteen points was the first TO
explain to the statesmen then OPP
ponents Of America that they Of
fered a suitable basis for negotia-
tions. Wilson replied TO my state
ment then in a speech containing
the following sentences:
Count Czernin seems 20 have a
clear understanding OF the peace
foundations and does not obscure
their sense. He sees that an In
dependent Poland composed OF all
the undeniably Polish inhabitants.
the one bordering on the other.
is a matter for European settle
ment. and must be granted: fur
ther. that Belgium must be evacu-
ated and restored. no matter what
sacrifices and concessions II may
involve: also. that national desires
must be satisfied. even in his own
empire, in the common interests
of Europe and of humanity.
Would Have Gone Further.
Though he Is silent on certain
matters more closely connected
with the interests Of his allies than
with Austria Hungary. that Is only
natural, because he feels COM
PEELED under the circumstances 10
defer to Germany and TO Turkey,
Recognizing and agreeing with the
important principles in QUESTION.
and the necessity Of converting
them into action. he naturally feels
that Austria-Hungary more easily
than Germany can concur with the
war aims expressed by the United
States. He would probably have
gone even further had he not been
constrained 70 consider the Austro-
Hungarian alliance and the coun-
try's dependence on Germany"
Entered Into negotiations.
In the same speech the former
President went on TO say:
Count Czernin's answer. refer
ring mainly TO my speech on Feb
ruary s. is couched in very friendly
terms. He sees in NV statements
a sufficiently encoura cling approach
10 the views OF his own govern
ment to justify bis belief that they
afford basis for a thorough discus
sion OF the aims by both govern
ments."
Thereupon, entered into direct
negotiations. at that time secret. with
Wilson. in order to put the theory
of the fourteen points into practice
that is. to set down, on a basis OF
the fourteen points. the concessions
Austria would make in regard to its
new boundaries. In the midst OF
these negotiations I was Obliged tc
AAIrn ad he
tions ended.
ever made that President Wilson
was in communication with enemy
statesmen as early as the spring
OF 1918. regarding a possible arms.
ticeD
Treaty Ignored Rights.
Half a year later came the mill
tary defeat OF Germany. and the
Berlin government proposed n peace
to Wilson on the basis OF his four
teen points. The President accepted
and the result was the peace of Yer.
sailles, a derision of the Wilson pro-
gram. as Keynes proves clearly. for
the right of self-determination fol-
defeated nations was disregarded; the
Germans OF Northern Bohemia and
the. Tyrol were ANNEXED 70 states OF
alien nationality-the Hungarian;
of the Buat given to Ruman'a, and
the Germans of Silesia given &c
Poland. Nations were pushed about
Europe like chessmen on a board
The Versailles treaty considered
the fourteen points, on which the
Central Empires agreed TO make
peace. only as points to be con.
tradicted. And Wilson agreed.
The treaties of Versailles and
St German have condemned. Cen.
trial Europe to a hell on earth and
have created a universal economic
crisis which is only just beginning
Drop I'm Exchange.
Before the war one-pound sterl.
ing was worth IS crowns. Now
II is worth one thousand times a.
much-25,0 900 crowns!
While. Austrian currency ha.
sunken to l-1O00 Of its prewal
value the German mark is in al.
most as bad a case.
Wilson unwittingly effected what
Trotsky did purposely-both to.
gether have ruined Europe.
Wilson is guilty of another
great delinquency. He is the mental
originator Of the supremacy Of So
cial-democracy in the Central Eu.
rope of today. This is his work
because by his speeches during
the war he revolutionized the ma.
lions of Central Europe. declaring
that the war was in reality not d.
rected against them, but against
their potentates.
The whole inner situation OF
Austria is under the whiphand OF
the Social Democrats, the emblem