WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

THE AUSTRIAN PEACE MOVE 229
terms of a peace of victory" If he (Karl) were finally unsuccessful
in persuading them to accept just and equitable
terms, he would be prepared to make a separate peace, rather
than sacrifice the Dual Monarchy to Prussian ambitions.
The terms of a possible peace were discussed, and Karl
showed himself quite willing to meet French wishes in regard
to their eastern frontier, and the demilitarisation of the left
bank of the Rhine. He also approved the restoration of Belgium.
As to Serbia, the one point which stuck in his throat
was the secret pan-Serbian societies, which had before the
War been a constant source of anxiety and danger to the
Government. If these were really suppressed, and Serbia
would firmly discountenance any future efforts to foster revolutionary
or Irredentist movements in the Slav provinces of
Austria-Hungary, he would be willing to restore Serbian independence
and give her the Albanian coast as an outlet to
the sea. As regards Russia, the revolution there had made
Russia's future war effort and war aims problematical, and
he was inclined to say nothing definite about Constantinople.
But the cynical selfishness which has thwarted every effort
to establish world peace on just and therefore firm foundations
was displayed in Karl's approach to the Allies. Whilst
he showed the greatest readiness to give up Germany's conquests
from 1870 to 1917, he was more reluctant to consent
to surrender Austrian annexations of Italian territory. He
was most unwilling to make any concessions to Italy. The
younger Emperor felt bitterly about Italy's action in breaking
away from the Triple Alliance and joining with Austria's
enemies, and he despised the Italians for their inability to
capture from his numerically inferior Army the Trentino and
the coast line to Trieste, to which they laid claim. He told
his brother-in-law that while the main forces of Austria had
been engaged against Russia and Serbia, a few territorial
battalions and his "gallant Tyrolese" had sufficed to hold all