We know, of course, that the Austrophils and Magyarophils among the Allies talk of Anti-Prussianism in Austria; and they tell us “Austria is awakening and turning against Germany.” Emperor Charles, no doubt, sorely feels his dependence upon Germany, but Francis Joseph felt it even more, for he waged a war against Prussia; yet he became the executor of Bismarck’s policy. The Emperor Charles cannot and will not change the Germans of his empire, and he will not change the Magyars. For the moment he cannot even liberate his army from the Prussian grip, since it now consists of regiments in which Prussian and Austrian troops are closely interlocked. The Allies must not forget that Germany has saved Austria so far, inasmuch as Germany’s army succeeded in forcing the Russians to retreat from Galicia. This is known not only to the Germans of Germany, but also to those of Austria-Hungary; and this knowledge is a great moral force for the near and for the more remote future. Let us see things clearly, and let us speak as politicians. What would the Allies say if Italy made a separate peace with our common enemy? Why are those people, who desire a separate peace with Austria, so nervous if the possibility of Russia making a separate peace is suggested? If Austria made a separate peace, that would mean an Austrian betrayal of Germany; Austria provoked the war; Germany used the occasion for her political aims, and, incidentally, saved Austria by forcing the Russians to retreat. How, then, would the German nation accept Austria’s treachery? For treachery it is, since twice two make nothing but four, whether in Germany, Austria, Britain, France, Russia or Italy!
To work for Austria’s salvation is to work against Italy, against Roumania, against Serbia and the Southern Slavs, against Bohemia and against Russia. The Allies proclaimed solemnly that they were fighting for the principles of democracy and nationality, for the re-construction of Europe, for the restoration and liberation of Belgium, Serbia, Poland, the Czecho-Slovaks, Southern Slavs, Roumanians, Italians; and if this is still their aim, it is irreconcilable with any attempt to save the Habsburg dynasty. Either the Habsburgs, or free democratic Europe; that is the question. Any compromise between these two is bound to be an unstable condition. Austrophilism in Entente circles
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