Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-09-28
AUSTRIAN PEACE OVERTURE.

AUSTRIAN PEACE OVERTURE.
From Vienna the quarter in which
for tnree years the All1es have felt
that the movement for peace would
originate comes tho first vcritablo
peace offer, and 1t comes in Il form
which the Allies may honorably &C
Ccpt in the confident belief that it will
lead to the end OF tho war. Tho Aus
ltroHungarian Government invites all
the bclligerent Governments to au-
thorize their representatives to attend
Il conference held Oh neutral soil with
a view to "non-binding" discussion
! Of the terms Of peace. 1t is the hope
of that Government that il in con
fidcntial exchange OF views, the po-
sition Of the different Governments
shall be mutually made known it may
, be possible to formulate II statement
of terms which, when reported by the
delegates to their respective Govern
mcnts. might be accepted as Il reason
able basis Of formal peace ncgotia-
tons.
The custom and practice OF nations
demand that this invitation to enter
upon the prclimnarics of peace re-
ceivc the most serious and respectful
/ attention OF the Governments to
| which it is addressed. II is very
, different matter from the longrangc
, peace offers made in speeches and
! notes, OF which there have been so
many all futile. 1t comes from Il Gov
crnmcnt second only to the chief
power of the Tcutonic Alliance. We
arc bound to accept it as the sincere
, expression of Il desire for much need
cd peace, and we may assume with
entire confidence that it is Issued
. with the full acknowledge and assent
/ Of tho Imperial Government OF Ger
tmany. after conference and delibcra-
! ton. This assumption finds confirma
ton III the announcement late last
night that Germany has made de-
finite peace offer to Belgium an offer
hardly made in the expectation that
1t would be accepted but rather per
haps. as notice to tho world, in adj
vance Of the proposed conference that
( Germany is ready to cvacuate Belgium
| The immediate preparation for these
ovcrturcs was made by Baron Burian
in his speech last week when ho
suggested confidential exchange Of
views. For the actual and moving
cause of tho proposal we must look
. to the battlcfields Of France. The
| French, British, and American troops
under tho command of Marsha: Foch
, the advancing and victorious legions
. directed by Haig by Petain and by
: Pershing, have brought about this
complete change in the minds and
: in the attitude toward the war OF
Vienna and of Potsdam. The rcflucnt
current that began to bear the Ger
mans back from the Marine OH July
Is and has never ceased its irresis-
, Gble sweep, cXtinguished their last
hopes Of victory; ST. Mihiel comes
. as an admonition of impending and
; irretrieyablc disaster. But what fills
! their souls with deepest disquietudo
! Is the failure OF their man power and
! their morale just at the moment when
American soldiers literally In mil
| lions arc moving forward to their
places in the vast uncomfortable
armies that confront them Tho
Vienna invitation to conference is
not Of the kind that victors send forth.
Upon that we need not dwell All
| the bell1gcrents desire the end of the
war. The stricken world longs for
peace. While no armistice prccedes
! the proposed conference, we are JUS
TRIED in entertaining tho hope the
belief even that fighting will cease
/ this year as the fruit Of this"nOnbind
ing discussion OF terms. 1t would be
| tho worst OF blundcrs for us or for
any Of the Entente Allies to abate
war preparations now. But reason and
humanity demand that tho Austrian
invitation be accepted. The case for
Sconfcrcnco is presented with extraordi
nary eloquencc and force a convincing
argument is made for an exchange
! Of views that may remove old and
| recent Misunderstanding 1t Is point
cd out that Mr.. Wilson's four princi
s pies of peace have encountered no
| contradiction in the countries OF tho
; Quadruple Alliance; and there is
| much in the note that indicates q
, change Of heart and Of purpose there.
! We cannot imagine that the invi-
tation will be declined. When repre-
| sentatiyes OF the belligerents meet
! at the council table and proceed to
| their confidential exchange Of views.
| to their respective statements Of terms
| there Is much antecedent probability
; that after no considerable interval
! the formal meeting Of peace commits
, sioners will follow. The preliminaries
OF peace have usually led to tho con
! clusfon Of peace. There are historic
, exceptions to the rule but when we
consider the deluge of blood that has
; been poured out in this war, the in
; calculable waste OF treasure, the ruin
, 1t has wrought; the grief that wrings
millions Of hearts because Of It; we
must conclude that only tho madness
or the soulless depravity Of some one
OF 'he belligerent Powers could OBJ
,struct and defeat the purpose Of the
conference.
4 n~p NI5,s .--a.r