Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-31
BALFoUR HANGS BAIT
BEFORE EYES OF DUAL
MONARCHY
.SCORN GERMAN TALK

STAG LOOKED UPON AS BLUFF
BY ENTENTE AND oFFiciALDoM
AT WASHINGTON.
Washington, July 81
That Austria can have a
separate peace on most
advantageous terms, was
the construction today
placed on the remark
able declarations made
to the. House Of Com
mons yesterday by Ar
thur ]. Balfour, Eng
lands foreign secretary.
His frank statement that
the "Jungoslay and Aus
trian question" must
wait until the wars end for settle
ment, was construed here as indicat.
ing that If Austria should show dis
position to desert Germany her lot
would be made very easy by the en-
,tente.
Whether Austria will take advan.
tage Of the suggestions made no on
cial in Washington today cared to
hazard a guess. At present Austrian
policies are dominated from Berlin.
But there is little doubt that hunger
ia pressing heavily on the population
OF Hungary and that well defined
peace sentiment constantly Ia increas-
ing everywhere in the dual empire.
The report from Rome that the Pope
has declined to attempt mediation on
behalf of Austrie adds to the belief
here that the war party in Austria
Is losing its grip on the government.
Officials today declared that the Bal
four speech opened direct way for
peace negotiations II the German war
control actually desired to end the
conflict. This statement was coupled
with the assertion that Germany only
wants to talk peace as victor some
thing which under no circumstances.
will be even considered by the United
States or the entente. Balfour's dec
laration that Great Britain is not in
the conflict for gain, officials say, is
certain to have a good effect In Rus.
sia where British motives have been
under suspicion. And so far as his
declaration that England will stand
by France is concerned officials point
out that it means that Great Britain
will leave to France herself the terms
that are to be imposed
If France, when the peace advocates
meet around its table, insists on the
return of the Lost provinces" than
England will stand by her. And Off
cials declare that 1t will be for France
herself that 1t will be for France her
self to decide just what she wants
when the end of the war comes In tC
sight
Although officials today indicated
that their suspicious of the latest Aus
: troGerman peace suggestions were In
; creasing they admitted that the!
looked for strong diplomatic pressure
to end the war within the next few
. months. The European neutrals al
ready are feeling the pressure OF tn,
embargo laid by the United States ant
diplomatic advices reaching here dur
ing the last few days have indicate,
that they are comforting together II
d an effort to determine whether NOV
s peace would have any chance {
b success In these conferences Swift
X erland, Spain and Sweden have bee
n prominent. according to the informs
r ton reaching here.
', SO far as the United States is cor
X cerned, officials reiterated again toda
e. there win be no change in its attitud,
'e II is in the war to throw the balanc
Ie of power against Germany Muniton
n and money are being mobilized her
u everywhere And there will be II
letup simply because peace suggeI
tions are thrown out in certain qual
) ters. The United States will con
. plete its war program. II the wa
ends before then the nation will ben'
fit II It goes on II will be able I
make its complete effort without d.
lay.
Own Press Against Michaelis.
Amsterdam, July 3l--The Soclalis
newspaper vorwaerts OF Berlin,
III commenting upon the recent speech {
10 the German chancellor DR. MichaeIi
as has come out for the complete n
"a storaiion of Belgium as one OF th