Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-19
This Nation to Stand Behind
Polyglots Seeking Their
Independence.

v
Ills refusal went even further thar
that: it closed the door to further rep.
rcscntaticns to the allies and declared
that Austria-H Hungary MUS deal wit.
those peoples
The President declared they must bc
satisfied with the terms of peace anG
that they. not the President of tho
United States, must be the judges OF
what action by Austria Hungary is
acceptable to them.
The language of the note, it is
thought here, precludes further ex-
changes between the United States and
Austria Hungary and relegdteS fu-
ture dealings for peace to the peoples
VIII" constitute the Austro- Hungarian
empire.
Senator Hitchcock. chairman Of the
foreign relations committee, who saw
Secretary LanSing's letter communi-
eating the note as soon as it was is
sued, said the note expresses the de-
termination of this government to
stand by the oppressed peoples of
AuStria-HunGary, including the Poles.
Text of Note to Austria.
The text of the note handed to the
Sir: I have the honor to acknowi-
edge the receipt of your note OF the
9TH instant. in which You transmit 4
communication of the imperial and
royal government of Austria-Hun-
gary to the President. l am now
instructed by the President to re-
quest You to he good enough
through your government to con-
vey to the imperial and royal gov
ernment the following reply:
lowing reply:
The President deems it his duty
to say to the -.Austro Hun. .:ariau
government that he cannot enter
tain the present suggestions OF
that government because of certain
events of utmost Importance which,
occurring since the delivery of his
address ,f the Ntn of January last.
have necessarily altered the atti-
tudp and responsibility of the GOV
ernment of the i'uitC-l states.
4mcuG the fourteen terms of peace
which the President formulated at
that time occurred the follow ing:
"'N. The peoples of Austria Hun
gary. whose place among the ma
rions we wish to see safesuarded
and assured. should be accorded
rhc freeSt opportunity of au-
tonomous developments.
Since that sentence was written
and uttered to the Congress of the
United States the government of
the United States has recognized
that state of heiiSerencY exists
between the CZecho-S!ovalls and
the German and IAuStro- hungarian
empires an dthat the CZachoSlovak
national council is a de facto bel
ligerent government clothed with
proper authority to direct the mil
irary ard political affairs of the
CZecho-SloNaks. 1t has also recoS-
nized in the fullest manner the
81 iSfi iysl-
iions of the Jugo-Slovaks for free
dom.
The President is, therefore, no
longer at liberty to accept the mere
autonomy of these peoples as 4
basis of peace, but is obliged to in
sist that they. and not he. shall
be the judges of what action on the
part of the Austro-Hungarian gov
ernment will satisfy their aspira-
tionS and their conception of their
rights and destiny as members of
the family of nations.
Accept. sir. the renewed aSsnr-
ances Of my highest consideration.
ISigned, ROBERT LANSING.
In announcing his reply Secretary
Lansing also made public the official
text of the AustroH Hungarian note.
1t follows:
Legation of Sweden
Washington d. G.
October !, 1918.
5Translation.)
Excellency:
BY order of my government I
have the honor confidentially to
transmit herewith to you the fol-
lowing communication of the i'm
perial and loyal government OF
Austria Hungary to the President
OF the United States of America:
The Austro- Hungarian mon
archy, which has waged war al
ways and solely as Il defensive
war and repeatedly given docu-
mentary evidence of its readiness
10 stop the shedding of blood and
to arrive at a just and honorable
peace, hereby addresses itself to
his lordship the President of the
United States of America and
offers to conclude with him and
his allies an armistice Oh every
front on land. at sea and in the
air, and to enter Immediately upon
negotiations for "A peace for which
the fourteen points in the message
of President Wilson to Congress of
January s, 1913. and the four
points contained in President Will
sons address of February -. 1918.
in which the viewpoints declared
by President Wilson in his address
of September ~. 1918. will also be
taken into account.
Be pleased to accept. &C.
fSigned) a. +. EkENGREN.
His Excellency