Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-09-19
Dual Monarchy Asks Warning
Nations to Agree On a
Conference.
ACTION NOT BINDING
Proposal Suggests That Eostilities
Continue While Delegates Dis
cuss Terms-Germany Makes
Overtures to Belgium.
: 3 = Is =
U. S. WILL IGNORE
FOE PEACE PLOTTERS

". I'SI ! IL ! IllS
y Washington, Sept. IL. - The
X United States government will not :
y accept Austria's proposal for
y s%et-together for peace conference, =
= it is stated on high authority.
= 1t was declared to be perfect =
= ly safe to assume the proffer Z"
* would not be approved"
= The State department had not =
. received a copy Of the Austrian =
= note and consequently withheld all =
4" formal comment. Despite this ST. Z"
= lence, it developed that the Aus =
= trian prefer was not acceptable. y
A confidential State department =
= dispatch, dated the 18th, from an =
4 unnamed source, gave warning Of
= G%ermany's great peace drive. y
y T. x Il y y + y \ Y y = .
Amsterdam, Sept. 1.-THE Austro-
Hungarian government, in extending
invitations to all the %belligerent gov
ernments to enter into non-binding
discussions at some neutral meeting
place, stated that the object of the
conference would be to seek an ex-
change of views which would show
whether those prerequisites exist
which would make the speedy inaug-
uration of peace negotiations appear
promising"
The Austrian proposal, which is an
nounced in an official communication
telegraphed here from Vienna, suggest
ed that there be no interruption of
the war, and that the discussions
would go only so far as considered by
the participants to offer prospects of
success"
The proposal calls for all the bellig,
erents to send delegates for a coniden.
tial and unbinding discussion on the
basic principles for the conclusion of
peace, in a place in a neutral country
and at a near date that would yet have
to be agreed upon.
Would Exchange Principles.
The proposal says the conference
would be n Of delegates who would
be charged to make known to one an.
other the conception Of their govern
ments regarding those principles and
to receive analogous COMMUNICATIONS,
as we'll a. to request and give frank
and candid explanations on all those
points which need to be precisely. de
fined"
The government announced that q
rote embodying its suggestions had
been addressed to the various belliger
ent powers and that the Holy See has
been apprised of the proposal in
neutral states also have been made
acquainted with the proposal.
London, Sept. lit is understood
that the government has received the
Austro-Hungarian peace note and ais,
the proposal, previously referred to
that all the powers should Withdraw
their troops from the Thurman tel
ritory.
1t is also learned that Germany ha
made a peace offer to Belgium.
That Belgium shall remain neutra
until the end of the war.
That thereafter the entire economi
and political independence of Belgium
shall be reconstructed.
That the pre-war commercial tres
ties between Germany and Belgium
shall again be put into operation afte
the war for an indefinite period.
That Belgium shall use her good O
fees to secure the return Of the &c,
man colonies.
That the Flemish question shall b
considered, and the Flemish minorit,
which aided the invaders, shall not b
penalized.
The proposal contains no word r
specting reparation or indemnities, Z
admission that Germany wronged Be
GUM.