The irredentist propaganda, which has produced so much evil in Hungary,
will be restrained and, finally, precautions will be taken to obtain
indemnification for the injustice innocently suffered by many of our
countrymen owing to the war.
We shall strive by means of a new commercial treaty and appropriate
settlement of the railway and shipping questions to protect our economic
interests in Rumania.
Rumania's future lies in the east. Large portions of Bessarabia are
inhabited by Rumanians, and there are many indications that the Rumanian
population there desires close union with Rumania. If Rumania will adopt
a frank, cordial, friendly attitude toward us we will have no objections
to meeting those tendencies in Bessarabia. Rumania can gain much more in
Bessarabia than she lost in the war.
[Count Czernin said that he was anxious that the rectifications of the
frontier should not leave any embitterment behind, and expressed the
opinion that Rumania in her own interest must turn to the Central
Powers.]
In concluding peace with Rumania and Ukraine, it has been my first
thought to furnish the monarchy with foodstuffs and raw materials.
Russia did not come into consideration in this connection owing to the
disorganization there.
We agreed with Ukraine that the quantity of grain to be delivered to the
Central Powers should be at least 1,000,000 tons. Thirty cars of grain
and peas are now en route, 600 cars are ready to be transported, and
these transports will be continued until the imports are organized and
can begin regularly. Larger transports are rendered possible by the
peace with Rumania, which enables goods to be sent from Odessa to Danube
ports.
We hope during May to undertake the first large transport from Ukraine.
While I admit that the imports from Ukraine are still small and must be
increased, nevertheless our food situation would have been considerably
worse had this agreement not been concluded.
From Rumania we will obtain a considerable surplus of last year's
harvest. Moreover, about 400,000 tons of grain, peas, beans, and fodder
must be transported via the Danube. Rumania must also immediately
provide us with 800,000 sheep and pigs, which will improve our meat
supply slightly.
It is clear from this that everything will be done to obtain from the
exploitation of the regions which peace has opened for us in the east
whatever is obtainable. The difficulties of obtaining these supplies
from Ukraine are still considerable, as no state of order exists there.
But with the good-will of the Ukrainian Government and our organization
we will succeed in overcoming the difficulties.
An immediate general peace would not give us further advantages, as all
Europe today is suffering from lack of foodstuffs. While the lack of
cargo space prevents other nations from supplying themselves, the
granaries of Ukraine and Rumania remain open to the Central Powers.
[Replying to the annexationists, Count Czernin said:]
The forcible annexation of foreign peoples would place difficulties in
the way of a general peace, and such an extension of territories would
not strengthen the empire. On the contrary, considering the grouping of
the monarchy, they would weaken us. What we require are not territorial
annexations, but economic safeguards for the future.
We wish to do everything to create in the Balkans a situation of
lasting calm. Not until the collapse of Russia did there cease to exist
the factor which hitherto made it impossible for us to bring about a
definite state of internal peace in the Balkans.
We know that the desire for peace is very great in Serbia, but Serbia
has been prevented by the Entente Powers from concluding it. Bulgaria
must receive from Serbia certain districts inhabited by Bulgarians. We,
however, have no desire to destroy Serbia. We will enable Serbia to
develop, and we would welcome closer economic relations with her.
We do not desire to influence the future relations between the monarchy
and Serbia and Montenegro by motives conflicting with friendly,
neighborly relations. The best state of egoism is to come to terms with
a beaten neighbor, which leads to this: My egoism regarding
Austria-Hungary is that after being conquered militarily our enemies
must be conquered morally. Only then is victory complete, and in this
respect diplomacy must finish the work of the armies.