“Though I have no illusions in the direction of expecting the fruit of general peace to ripen in a single night, I am nevertheless convinced that the fruit has begun to ripen, and that it is now only a question of holding out whether we are to obtain a general honourable peace or not.

=Wilson’s Message=

“I have recently been confirmed in this view by the offer of peace put forward by the President of the United States of America to the whole world.  This is an offer of peace, for in fourteen points Mr. Wilson sets forth the principles upon which he seeks to establish a general peace.  Obviously, an offer of this nature cannot be expected to furnish a scheme acceptable in every detail.  If that were the case, then negotiations would be superfluous altogether, and peace could be arrived at by a simple acceptance, a single assent.  This, of course, is not so.

“But I have no hesitation in declaring that these last proposals on the part of President Wilson seem to me considerably nearer the Austro-Hungarian point of view, and that there are among his proposals some which we can even agree to with great pleasure.

“If I may now be allowed to go further into these proposals, I must, to begin with, point out two things: 

“So far as the proposals are concerned with our Allies—­mention is made of the German possession of Belgium and of the Turkish Empire—­I declare that, in fulfilment of our duty to our Allies, I am firmly determined to hold out in defence of our Allies to the very last.  The pre-war possessions of our Allies we will defend equally with our own.  This standpoint is that of all four Allies in complete reciprocity with ourselves.

“In the second place, I have to point out that I must politely but definitely decline to consider the Point dealing with our internal Government.  We have in Austria a parliament elected by general, equal, direct and secret ballot.  There is not a more democratic parliament in the world, and this parliament, together with the other constitutionally admissible factors, has the sole right to decide upon matters of Austrian internal affairs.  I speak of Austria only, because I do not refer to Hungarian internal affairs in the Austrian Delegation.  I should not consider it constitutional to do so. And we do not interfere in American affairs; but, on the other hand, we do not wish for any foreign guidance from any state whatever. Having said this, I may be permitted, with regard to the remaining Points, to state as follows: