Count Herding expressed a platonic adherence to President Wilson's four
principles of peace, based on justice and the rights of nationalities. He then went on to defend the shameless German conquests in Russia as crusades to rescue peoples oppressed by the Anarchists, who were themselves assisted and paid by the Germans to destroy Russia. " We do not think of establishing ourselves, for instance, in Esthonia or Livonia, but we only desire after the war to live in good friendly relationship with the States arising there." Peace would soon be made with Russia, and also with Rumania. As for Poland, Germany Intended to make it inde- pendent, but its constitution was not yet settled. " In the regu- lation of the frontier question only what is indispensable on military grounds will be demanded on Germany's part " ; that is, she will annex as much of Poland as she pleases. The Chancellor declined to say anything about Alsace, which was " a purely German question." The Allies were fighting for territorial gains, and the responsibility for continuing the war lay with them. We can only wonder whether Count Herding is fully conscious of his own hypocrisy.
Previous page
