Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22
Transmission to Italy Report
ed to. Have Inspired Most
Recent Conference.
EMPEROR is THROWING
OFF KAISER'S SHACKLES
Central Powers Declared in Midst of
Greatest Crisis of War-Bulgars
Show Signs of Breaking.
BY ARTHUR s. DRAPER
Special Cable to the New York Tribune and The
Washington Star.

Special Cable to the New York Tribune and The
Washington Star.
LONDON, April 21.-The coming week
may see startling developments in Aus
tria. / can now state that develop
ments in the dual monarchy have taken
SO sensational turn that real peace
well informed quarters.
1t is reported here that the Vatican
has been definitely informed of Aus
tria's terms. and that these terms were
furnished to the Italian government by
the Pope. and Immediately prompted
the conference of the three premiers.
including the French. English and
Italian officials.
Peace Party Gaining.
The amazing split in the two Aus
trian parties simply confirms the state
ments made several times recently that
the peace party is rapidly gaining
the upper hand, and that Emperor
Charles. naturally sympathizing with
the opponents of the policy to establish
Germanized central Europe, is grad
ually throwing off the shackles by
which the kaiser and his followers have
bound him.
All activity on the Austrian fronts
has practically ceased.
The conference of Premiers Lloyd
George and Ribot with Signor Salandra.
the Italian premier, is highly signifi-
cant. The fact that it has to do with
political rather than purely military
questions is borne out by the personal
nature of the conference. Not single
military leader attended.
r, NH;a~% - rr;,i-
The censorship in Germany and Aus
tria prevents the facts from becoming
known, but enough has been learned
to state positively that the central
empires are in the midst OF the great
est crisis Of the whole war. Not only
the Austrians but the Bulga rians az
stan yoke. Diasension and dissatis,
faction are rending the quadrHR]A n.
lance and anything Is possible M 'ths
near future
To say that the Germans are alarmed
is putting 1t mildly. Frantic appeals
appear in the German press. The Aus
trian premier is accused of betrayfng
the Germans of Austria. The Inns
bruck Nachrichten walls that it means
"the end of the dream of German pre-
dominance in Austria"
Meanwhile Emperor Charles reiterates
his determination to assemble the Aus
trian chamber for the first time since
war was declared. The resignation OF
Baernreither and DIR. Urban from the
Austrian ministry shows how bitterly
the German elements in Austria OPP
posed the reassembling of the reichsrat
Slav Course Assured.
There is rare struggle on between
the Teuton and the Slav. with the lat
ter rapidly gaining the ascendency OF
power. There is no question as to
what the Slav majority will decide to
do once the reichsrat meets.
Throughout the events leading up to
the crisis the young emperor has
shown himself a man of considerable
character, restive under German domi-
out of the war before it is totally
ruined His ''ramshackle empire" al
best could expect nothing from the vic
tory of the central powers and If de-
feated-and he seems to appreciate
that is inevitable-it will collapse COM
only Count Tisza Of all his council
ors had any direct responsibility for
initiating the war. and Tisza Is re-
ported to have resigned.
Austrian Activity Halted.
The sudden crumpling of the expect
ed attack of the Austrian armies in
Italy and the> rich provinces in the
Venetian district has been due. 1t is de-
clared, to the personal 1nterVention on
the young emperor. In a military
sense Austria is dead. Her activities
against the Russians have stopped
abruptly. The surrender of the dual
empires troops have been reported at
points along the eastern front. although
;v1v IN
initiate serious offensive operations.
Austrias sole chance of striking a
blow for her Prussian ally lay in the
Trentino. With the removal of Gen.
Won HotzenIorf, who has devoted life
time to study and preparation for the
invasion of Italy, the Teutonic plans to
create a diversion in this sector have
been definitely abandoned.
Door Open for Negotiations.
Turning to political considerations,
much significance is attached here to
the recent announcement of the Rus
sian provisional government affirming
its unshakable determination to con-
tinue the war to the limit of its re-
sources against Prussia. This pronun-
ciamento, which was couched in the
most vigorous language against Ger
many. made only perfunctory mention
Hungary. The door was left open for
with the Emperor Charles
whenever the latter chose to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity.
1t is perhaps not too much to say
that the suggestions of President Will
son. contained in his notable address
to Congress and in the declaration of
a state of war against Germany, have
been seized upon by the allies as the
entering wedge between the central
powers.
Position Of Bulgaria.
It is an open secret that Bulgaria has
been held in the trenches by Prussian
havonets. Russia has been her tradi-
tional friend. Gar Ferdinand. ever
watchful of the shifting currents of the
eastern situation, will abandon his
nresent allies as cynically as he hood
pginked the entente upon his entry into
the war. II the break comes here 1t
will be impossible to hold
Austria in line.
The German autocracy. facing defeat
in the west and harassed by disturb
ances at home. has yet more serious
nroblem to solve with her comrades in
arms. That this problem may defeat
her months before she is beaten by the
force of arms. is the confident belief
of the best informed quarters in France
and here.