The New York Times/1916/11/22/Hungarians Eager for Our Mediation
HUNGARIANS EAGER FOR OUR MEDIATION
Only Remains, Says One, to Convince Allies That Blockade Is Absurd and Teutons Invincible.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
LONDON, Wednesday, Nov. 22.—The Morning Post’s Berne correspondent sends the following:
“Great prominence is given by the Neue Freie Presse, the leading exponent of Germanism in Austria, to the news that a reported peace plan by President Wilson is most eagerly discussed in Budapest. In place of the leading article it reproduces the views of several eminent Hungarian parliamentarians on the reported proposal.
“Joseph Szterenyi, former Secretary of State and now member of the Hungarian Diet, says that Mr. Wilson’s idea is undoubtedly sound. He avers that the German Chancellor is at one with the Entente statesman in respect of the policy to be pursued in regard to Belgium and small States, and contends that the presentation of independence to Russian Poland is not conquest by the Central Powers, seeing that the objective foundation for the commencement of peace negotiations is established. It only remains, according to Szterenyi, to convince Paris and London of the absurdity of the idea that the Central Powers can be forced by means of a blockade to sue for peace, and, furthermore, that the armies of the Central Powers are invincible.
“Everybody in Hungary, he says, will joyfully welcome President Wilson’s initiative, and he adds that in view of the fact that the Central Powers have given so many proofs that they do not wish further purposeless bloodshed, there is no possibility of their doing anything but to encourage Mr. Wilson’s initiative.
“Georg von Lukacs, member of the Foreign Committee of the Hungarian delegation, mistrusts President Wilson on account of his attitude hitherto maintained toward the two belligerent groups, but he rejoices over the fact that Mr. Wilson’s plan justifies the hope that the United States will finally adopt an attitude of honest and impartial neutrality. He declares it is an open secret that the prolongation of the war beyond all reason is due to a considerable extent to the one-sided neutrality of the United States.
“Belafoeldes, Vice President of the Independence Party, says, according to the Neue Freie Presse, that while the steps in favor of peace about to be taken by Mr. Wilson will be heartily welcomed, the war has made the Hungarians very pessimistic and very skeptical. Any effort, however, which seems to promise to put an end to the awful dance of death, he adds, will be greeted with joy, and he remarks that the importance of Wilson's action will naturally be greatly enhanced if the other neutral States join in.
“Germania, the Berlin organ of the powerful Centre Party, contends that only the Pope is qualified to act as mediator in the cause of peace, because only he is absolutely impartial. It declares that Mr. Wilson owes his re-election partly to his peace program, but that latter is concerned with the maintenance and not the restoration of peace. The Centre organ observes that the prospects of an early peace are very slight. The same journal protests against Herr Scheidemann posing as spokesman of the German people, and declaring that nine-tenths of the population of Germany share his views in regard to war aims. Germania asserts that Scheidemann has not only no right to speak in the name of the majority of the people, but he has not even the whole Socialist Party behind him.”