The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-02
THE AUSTRIAN SITUATION.
PEACE MORE REACHES WASH
INGTON-MAY BE SENT
ABROAD.
Conditions in Vexed Hapsburg Mon
archy known to Be Chaotic With
Belief Prevailing That Trembling
Empire VIII Fall Soon-Means
Change in War.
ton. Oct. 29.-In the, alb

Washington, Oct. 29.-In the. alb
Esence of any official announcement
there was a somewhat widespread im ;
preston here tonight that Austria s
renewed appeal to President Wilson
fos an immediate armistice and peace
woult, be transmitted to the allied
Egoyernnent before which Gernlany's
request has been placed. =.
In some quarters. however, there
was disposition to accord different
treatment to the Austrian plea be-
cause of the complex problems arlsr
| ing from the conditions which appar-
emily have developed in the. dual
monarchy since the president replied
! to Austria's original request for an
immediate cessation of hostilities.
| The official text Of the Austrian note
| was delivered to Secretary Lansing
to-day by the Swedish minister soon
after the regular Tuesday meeting o:
tie cabsnet, at which it was under
stood the unofficial version as trans
mitted by The Associated Press from
Basel, Switzerland, was given consid-
eration IF any defnite decision was
/ reached the fact was not revealed
4 officials stating that they could not IN
d:cate what disposition would be made
OF the note in advance Of careful
study of the official version.
The text, received at the Swedish
Ifegation was in French and it has moi
vet been translated at the State de:
Ipatnent. After preliminary exam:
ination it, was said there that Il. die
not differ essentially from the unofh-
cial as received from Switzerland. Nc
tindication was given as to: when the
translation of the note would be made
public.
Those adhering to the opinion thai
different treatment should be accord:
ed to the Austrian request than was
Igiven the pleaof the German govern
noent pointed to cable dispatches to-
day reporting the establishment OF
| the Independent state of Hungary; OF
| tie recognition by that state of the
independence Of the Czecho-S -Slovak
antt 5ugo- -Slay provinces and also OF
| German Austria as suggesting the in
! production aof complex factors into
! the problem of settling with the dual
fempire.. Even if each of many ma
tionalities which make up that en-
pire becomes independent before
peace is arranged, it was said that
they still must bear their individual
shares Of the, responsibility for the
acts committed by the empire. Logi-
! cally each might have to sue for a
separate peace.
It is believed, however, that the
American government will not be di-
verted from the pursuit Of its main
object by the consideration of thess
| individual uprisings lin Austria-Hun-
! gary. It possibly will follow consist.
emily the course pursued in dealing
with Germany, and insist on treating
first the proposition for an arnaistice
which it regards as purely military
Question, leaving to the final peace
conference the adjustment Of the
4 claims TO Independent existence Of
! the various oppressed nationalities in
Austria Hungary. If that course is
followed then not only the remnants
of the dual empire over which Empe.
ror Charles still holds sway, but the
separate state Of Hungary and even
Bohemia and the Jugo-Slav sections
muse accept the terms to be laid
down by the supreme military coun-
ell at Versailles. This, many observ-
ers said, probably would involve dis
armament, denob Utilization. opening OF
1.-THE Austro-Hungarian railways to the
entente allies and guarantees in the
shape Of occupied fortresses to ensure
| the safety of the entente armies
against treacherous attacks in the
rear If they advance to strike Ger
many from the south.
Vienna's plea for an armistice is
interpreted quite generally in mill
tary circles here as an offer to capit-
ulate as completely as did Bulgaria
Military officials both allied and
American. believe that the complete
elimination Of tria-Hungary as a
belligerent would bring the world war
within sight Of an end.
While there lis doubt that it would
be practical to attack Germany from
the south the best informed entente
| officers on duty here firmly believe
that Germany would not attempt to
fight on with Austria out of the war.
The greatest fear the Germans have,
they say, is the invasion of German
soil and in the end, they believe,
Germany will capitulate rather than
face the contingency