The Washington times., 1918-09-16
KOuId Piss Muster.

for the apparent offer of Germany
again to use Austria as q catspav.
Would Pass Muster.
A Government official in q very
high place informed the press gener-
ally that it was perfectly safe to as
sumo that the Austrian proffer would
not be approved. His position is such
that he speaks with entire authority.
The State Department summary Of
German press comment arriving from
a neutral country today said discus
sion of the military situation had
ceased to all intents and purposes. 1t
added that the more the Germans eS-
amined the situation the less they
| liked II.
A confidential State Department
dispatch on the 18th, from an un-
named source, gave warning Of Ger
many's great peace drive.
This message stated the allied dip
lomatic consensus OF opinion was that
the governments ought to be ready In
few weeks for the most desperate"
peace propaganda yet undertaken oy
the Teuton.
1t may be said that the Austrian
note is regarded as adroit-that II at
tempts to- place the burden on the
allies for not obtaining peace pre-
viously. .
Germany Advanced Date.
1t was noted that Germany has gem
orally started a peace campaign at the
close of a military campaign She
had to advance the date this time, 1t
was remarked dryly.
When the note comes It will be care
fully studied. Some answer will be
made, according to present indications.
This answer may state an ire
ducible minimum OF terms, and u
may max a bid to the Teuton peo-
pie to overthrow their rulers.
The Austrian note Is considered based
on military exigencieS 1t is held repug
nant to the American position against
secret diplomacy and aside from this II
Is felt here that 1t offers no reason or
basis for a get-together meeting at this
time.
When Germany wants peace It will
have to ask for 1t in its own name.
declared officials here. The revela-
tions of intrigue in Russia, with the
contemplate Brest-Litovsk treaty
resulting therefrem. are too well
known to allow parlay with those re-
sponsible for them. The reply to this
latest-and greatestZpeace offer will
simply be a stiffening OF the war
spirit and the continued advance of
our troops in the consensus of opinion
among all officials here.
Diplomatic reasons compelled the
President and Secretary Lansing to
withhold any comment whatever.
Thai fptaptIop bowayar ,oap,ad to
be revealed by their subordinates,
who when asked what was likely to
be done simply said that General
the question on Saturday, when he
simply stated that America is going
through with it,
Officials said early today that the
Austrian OFFER had not reached the
State Department Inasmuch, how
ever, as it is known to have been
placed in the hands of the French and
British premiers, 1t was assumed that
tits arrival here was only a question
of hours and one of mechanical trans
mission. Little time will be lost in
replying to it
OHeP was FOreGeen.
There Is good reason to assume that
the subject already has been made
the medium for cabled exchanges be-
tween the entente governments and
the United States. That the offer was
coming has been known here for sew
eral days.
AS a matter OF fact, it is believed
to have been one OF the compelling
reasons why President Wilson aban-
doned his proposed coast-to-coast
tour in behalf of the Liberty loan.
The President had about decided that
ne would make this trip. so that he
could get more in touch with the
people at large. However, in his
statement abandoning the trip he !
said that grave international ques- /
tions required that he remain at home |
1t now is considered certain that the |
international questions to which he 1
referred were the peace drive inau-
gurated by Baron Burian's speech,
the Kaiser's address to the workers
at Essen, and now the open bid for
a compromise fathered by Austria /
Hungary.