The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-16
REPLY, IF MADE
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1t seems agreed that the only ground on
which Germany may have conference
Is tho acceptance Of the principles laid
down by President Wilson, and which
have been accepted by all the allied as
their Watchword
American officials have been noting
for Some time tho VARIOUS steps that
have led up to the proposition Tor
meeting ut some neutral point OF dele
gates from all the beu1gerent countries
to enter Into mon binding discussions"
with view to bringing about peace
From German and Austrian officials
Of high rank, from the German emperor
himself down to tho vice chancellor OF
Germany, within the last fortnight nave
como public utterances, differing Wlde-
" In their tone and scope, but oy sin-
Eular coincidence each and ali contain
iur In some place q declaration of will
ingness to extend. the hand Of peace.
They were coupled with denials Of re-
spondbtuty for the further continuance
Of hostiltties. Baron Burtau, the Aus
tria1 foreign minister, advanced the
movement toward the peace offensive
further than any other speaker In his
recent address to visiting German jour
nalists, and the Ideas he then broachcd
are now recognized here as tho founca-
ton upon which has been built the
proposition which Vienna now Is pre-
geuting to the world at arms in for
NAL way.
The washington government already
has made up its mind ana formed ts
own opinion regarding Baron Buf1an
plan, and !t can BIO stated that even In
the formal shape In which 1t Is now pre-
scented 1t is quite as Objectionable as IL
wns originally and does not present q
single point upon which the powers ana
the United States are likely TO agree
with the authors Familiar notes OF IN
sincerity and underlying SINISTER puF-
pose arc heard by officials. In the opln-
ION Of officials here tho primary OBJECT
Of Baron BurtAn and tho Germans VINO
stand behind him Is TO convince tho
Austrian aud German peoples that their
governments really desire peace
course made necessary By the hgn1y
DANGEROUS and rebeulous state OF mind
In Germany and particularly In Anstraa'
Th, could be accomplished speedily
and effectively, 1t IS pointed ont by ot1-
Gals here, by an open dec1arataon OF 1toA
and unqualified acceptance by Bernn
and vienna OF the u points laid down
by President Wilson as proper nass
Of peace. But this would sound Inc
death knoll OF Pan Germanismi WooIa
,nc1n the disagreement OF q huge EracI
of territory, enormous lndonMtles ana
valuable special privileges and monoPo-
lies which the predatory central pow
ers have willng from Russia, NOT 70
dwell upon the recesSatton Oh AHoce-
LORRAINE, whose wrongful seizure null
a century ago President wilson has SOL
emily declared must DO r1ghtcd.
Another purpose TO be served W Sucn
discussion as Baron Euriau proposes II
Is considered has been detected and e1-
posed IN almost every ono CT the pro-
ccding German peace moves. Wnne inc
word discussions" has been substitute
ed for the conferences" originally pro
posed, otficials here without the sngnt-
st hesitation identity the purpose as
another round table" conference, such
as at Brcst-Litovsk marked the ruin
Of Russia. "piscuSs.ona" with all OF the
delegates assembled IN one place and
omen TO close personal influence and
a.rcss would not differ very much
FROM a formal gathering around table,
and In fact might be more dangerous.
So II was declared today that the
United States would have none OF Them
ut this state Of tho war or at any other
in advance of binding acceptance by the
Gerrnanic powers Of the conditions pro-
posed by President Wilson. With rhat
as Il basis there would be no objection
to any proper consideration and dis
cussion OF even highly important de-
tails Of the peace agreement.
With much interest the government
here notes the statement that tho Vail
, can and Ill neutral nations would DO
notified OF the peace offer. Oincihls
here presume that this is an attempt to
enlist sympathy for the peace movement
in those quarters, as the fact Is zecog-
nized that the proposition, which
amounts to Invitations to tho vatican
. and tho neutral states TO participate in
the peace conferences, would be nattcr-
ing TO their pride. The attitude Of the
Caholic elements Of entente populations
might we'll be regarded as potent.
Ostensibly Che aim OF Baron Burinn Is
to reduce the war Issue 10 the simplest
form by a process Of elimination OF
many points of only sentimental hnpur-
TANGO and by agreement upon certain
broad altruustic principles OF self
dent property and wisdom as affecting
international relations. But Of those
who consider themselves acquainted
with the methods Of German diplomacy
! they regarded 4 concealed design 10 I'M
clude come very substantial German
doctrine In sorno apparently harmless
and high minded statements OF principle.
It is known from more or less official
T! German declarations that the central
powers are willing and anxious to enter
4 league of nations to make future wars
! impossible, and also to guarantee the
! freedom OF the sehs and the right OF
sell -determAation of oppressed peoples
and community from seizure OF private
property At sea.
/ But all these altruistic principles, It Is
expected, would be bent TO serve German
/ purposes, If the discussions" wore to
, bear the f"uit expected by the authors
| of this latest peace offensive. The
league Of nat1bns involves international
, disarmament, according to the German
! idea upon scale proportional so that
! the central powers would continue TO be
| dominant from the military point of
view. The freedom Of the seas from the
! German view would involve the nbaa-
! donmeut Of Gibraltar, Malta and Suez
, and the other great naval bases upon
which depends the life of the British
navy and the security of 1he British Limos
Of communication with india and her
other colonial possessions. The immu-
! nifty from seizure OF merchant shipping
would make Impossible such splendid
blockade as British, American, Fren CHI
! and Italian navtes have Isolated tho
Germanic powers.
Finally it is considered that tho sole
purpose of tho apparent acceptance OF
the principle of the right Of self-de-
termination of small nations Is to ac-