Middletown transcript., 1918-09-28

All the allied ministers who former
~ were at Jassy, Roumania, including
Charles VOpicka of America, have
been arrested in Petrograd, according
to a report reaching The Hague.
a.
Austria's suggestion of "nonbind
ing" conference of all the belligerents
to make clear their war aims and peace
demands met with the promptest kind
Of rejection by the allies, President
Wilson taking the lead in refusing to
consider the idea. In two sentences
he replied that Americas terms had
been repeatedly and clearly stated and
therefore no proposal for such a con
ference would be entertained by it. In
this Mr.. Wilson was heartily supported
by the entire nation, and his position
was also thoroughly approved by the
allies of the United States. Austria's
suggestion, made with the consent of
Berlin, admittedly was merely a
peace flyer" and there was little ex-
pectation in Hunland that it would re-
ceive favorable consideration.
No better reception was accorded the
German offer of peace to Belgium.
With unblushing effrOntery Berlin
asked the nation the Huns have raw
ished to drop out Of the conflict, not
even suggesting that they would make
reparatiOn for the horrible crimes they
have committed there, and making the
insidious proposal that the "Flemish
question" should be considered and the
Flemish minority that aided the Ger
man invaders should not be penalized.
Belgium, of course, said mo" to all
this claptrap.
The political situation in Hungary
is becoming extremely critical and the
opposition to the government is grow
ing holder. Its leader. Count KarOlyi,
is quoted in dispatches us declaring
that the central powers should accept
President Wilson's II peace points as
a basis for negotiations and that the
treaties of Brest-Litovsk and Bucha-
rest should be abrogated. The pope
seems to have scented chances of
peace once again, for it was stated at
the Vatican that if diplomatic repre-
sentation should be received by him
from one of the parties, he would ask
the other party if it desired to re-
ceive such representation.
Substantial support for President
Wilson's peace plans was received
from the labor conference of the allied
nations in London when the interna-
tfOnal relations committee recommend
ed that the conference subscribe to the
ii points formulated by Wilson, thus
adopting policy of clearness and
moderation as opposed to a policy die
tated exclusively by changes on the
war map"
According to figures received up to
date, the total registration of the coun-
try under the new draft law was at
least 12,SOO,OOO. or 100000 above the
estimated total. OF these the govern
ment proposes to call to the colors
2.7OO,OOO. to be added to the 10000
men already under arms. It Is planned
to have so divisions in France before
next summer. and to finance 50 great
m undertaking the war department
has asked congress to provide 1t i'm.
mediately with an additional $1,000
OOO. 900 in cash. Granting this, the adj
ministratiOn and congress has the
choice Of increasing the amount of
taxes provided by the revenue bill
from $4,000, 100000 to $4,000. OOO, 900.
or raising ell the additional $1,000. OO0,-
600 from the sale of bonds and aban-
doning the plan of raising one-third Of
the cost of the war by taxation.
The various features Of the revenue
hill were swiftly approved by the
house of representatives, one after
another. Representative Moore Of
Pennsylvania proposed tax of So a
bale on cotton. hut the Southern men,
hers rose in a body to the defense Of
the main crop of their part Of the
country.
That there Is no abatement in the
stream of American soldiers being sent
over to France is shown by the state
ment that $4,000 embarked for Flu
rope last month. OF these, 10000
were carried on British ships. One big
success by the U-boats-from the view
point of the chivalrous Hun-was re-
ported last week. The British steamer
Galway Castle, carrying disabled SOL
diers returning to South Africa and
many women and children, was tor
pedOed. One hundred and eighty.nine
persons were lost, of whom 12O were
civilian passengers.
dreds Of gallons Of gasoline were con-
veyed to the fighting tanks.
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