Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-22
WASHINGTON SEES THE
GERMAN WAR LORDS
HAND IN ANSWER
THRONES
BOTH AUSTRIAN AND GERMAN
RULERS INSIST THAT MoNAR.
ACHES ARE MADE SECURE
BUT ARE WILLING TO QUIT
FIGHTING.

BY JOHN EDWIN NEVlN.
International News Service Staff Cor.
respondent
Washington, Sept. 22-Pope Bene-
diets next peace. movement will be
initiated with the next two weeks.
High Catholic circles furnished this
information today. Acceptance by
Austria and Germany Of the proposi
tions set forward by his holiness a.
a basis to open negotiations, has
Joined the issues"
The nature of the Popes action has
not been forecast here. 1t Ia known
that Great Britain asked the vatican
for certain information concerning its
plans, and that this information was
In turn sought from Berlin. Whether
the reply is contained in the German
peace reply is not known here.
AS has been pointed out In these
dispatches, ever since President Will
sons reply to the vaticans proposals..
Pope Benedict has been In constant
consultation with Herr Matthias Ere.
berger. leader Of the Catholic party
of the German Reichstag and with
the heads OF the Catholic church In
Austria Hungary and Germany He
has been working to develop meth.
cd to reconcile wide differences that
are now emphasized with this pshli.
cation of the Austrian and German re-
plies.
His chief concern OF course. has
been the fiat statement Of President
Wilson that under no circumstances
would peace be discussed In any way
With the German government az now
organized because there was no meth
cd of compelling 1t to keep its prom.
ises. .
| The twin replies for the central
powers have not greatly impressed Of
ficials here as 1t had been generally
believed that they would follow the
lines set forth, Emperor Charles Of
| Austria, however, has gone farther
than had been anticipated in his es.
pousal of the proposition to submit
international disputes to compulsory
arbitration This more than any 9th.
er statement in the reply has empha-
sized in official and diplomatic cir.
cles here the belief that Austria re.
allzes at last that it must have peace
no matter what concessions are made
to the enemy to assure 1t.
Secretary Of State Lansing early to.
day declined to discuss the Austrian
or German replies in any way. He
said that he had not yet read the
unofficial copies as set forth in the
morning papers. 1t was very unlikely
however, that any official statement
would be made on the subject, mas
much it now as certain that the pope
would agree address the belligerents
on the subject Of peace.
See kaser's Hand In Reply.
London, Sept 22.-The powerful in
iluence OF Germany is plainly seen In
the Austrian reply to the peace note
of Pope Benedict XIV.
Austria's feverish desire for peace
Is easily read between the lines OF
her answer, but there Is an absence
OF promises of territorial restorations
and this Is attributed to Germany.
But for the domination of the Ger
man government it is believed that
Austria would have made definite
promises instead of expressing will
ingness to enter into negotiations fol
disarmament the establishment of al
international tribunal for arbitration
, and "the freedom of the seas Their,
was nothing in the notes OF the cen
tral powers that caused surprise IL
= official circles,
, Just how much nearer peace nego
, tiations have been brought by the Teu
tonis notes cannot be guessed Th
:, press in its comment calls the replie
4 eyasive and speculate as to whethe
+, they will be followed up
= So far as known. the replies OF tn
o central powers are not yet In tn
>, hands of the Pope
German Reply.
- The text OF the German reply
4 reads
/ Herr Cardinal Your eminenc,
,e has been good enough, together witt
10 your letter Of Aug. 2, to transmit t
the kaiser and king, my most graci
ous master, the note OF his holiness