AUSTRIA AND PEACE

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14257, 7 January 1920, Page 5

AUSTRIA AND PEACE

REPORTED NEGOTIATIONS IN 1917.

OVERTURES BY THE EX-EMPEROR TO SAVE HIS COUNTRY. * (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received January 7, 9.25 a.m. PARIS, January 5. A circumstantial account of Austria's negotiations for a separate peace in 1917 states that the Empress Zita, when in Switzerland, gave her brother, Prince Sixte, of Bourbon Parma, a note from the ex-Emperor Karl, soliciting his aid to secure peace. Prince Sixte said that peace was unobtainable without the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to Prance, the cession of Constantinople to Russia, and Albania to Servia. Prince Sixte, on March 5, -handed to M. Poincare Emperor Karl's note, declaring that he was a strong supporter of France, adding: "We are absolutely not in Germany's hands, and only want to maintain our present frontiers." Prince Sixte later visited Austria, when the Emperor Karl said that if he could not induce . Germany to make a just, peace he would make a separate peace i rather than sacrifice the Empire to Germany's madness. , Prince Sixte had many Interviews in France, including ones with M. Poincare and M. Ribot, and Mr Lloyd George, who took him to see the King. His overtures failed because the Entente was unable to arrange terms satisfactory to Italy, which insisted on receiving the Tyrol, though according to ex-Emperor Karl, General Cadorna sent an Emissary to Berne offering a separate peace on condition that Italy received the Italian frontier of the Trentino. , .

General Cadorna denies the story of the Berne mission as a pure invention. Italian newspapers suggest that the story was circulated during the negotiations in order to sow dissension between Italy and the other Entente Powers by blaming Italy for the failure of the negotiations.