The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-10-21
WILSON REPLYS
TO AUSTRIA
Mere Autonomy Not Sufficient
Now, He Says.
CzECHS' CHANGE SITUATION
Oppressed People Must Be Judge OF
Their Own Destiny, He Tells Aus
tria

Washington, Oct. p. - Pres dent
Wilson replied to the Austrian re-
qucS. for an armiStice with stern
refusal and a declaration that the
peace terms must be HatlSfactor! 10
the CZecho-Slovaks and the Ju&o-
Saws and are not to be decided by
The United States.
Further than this, the president de-
clarlS that the peace terms which
were laid down in his speech of Janu-
airy s no longer apply to the existing
situation and That the protested ac-
ceptance of these terms by the govern
nent Of Austria Hungary does not at-
ford basis for any further peace dis
cussion.
The text of President Wilson's re-
ply follows:
"S.r-I have the honor to acknoN'l-
edge The receipt of Your note of the
seventh inst, in which you transmit IL
communication of the imperial foEa!
government of Austria Hungary TO The
president | am now instructed by the
president to request You TO be good
enough through your government TO
convey to the imperial and royal gov
eminent the following reply:
The president deems it his duty to
say to the Austro- Hungarian govern
ment that he cannot entertain the
present suggestions of that govern
ment because of certain events Of ut
most Importance which, occurring
since the delivery of his address OF
the Sth of January last, have neces-
sarily altered the attitude and reSp0n-
sibility Of the government of the Ia!
ed States. Among the fourteen terms
of peace which the president formulat,
ed at that time occurred the follow
ing:
The people of Austria-Hungary,
whose place among the nations We
wish to see safeguarded and assured
should be accorded the freest oppor
tunity of autonomous development
Since that sentence was written
and uttered to the congress of the
United States the government of the
United States has recognized that
state of belligerency exists between
the Czecho-Slovaks and the German
and Austro-Hungarian empires AMI
that the Czecho-S lovak national coun-
Gil is de facto belligerent govern
ment clothed with proper authority to
direct the military and political af-
fairs of the Czecho- SlOvaks. 1t has
also recognized in the fullest manner
the justice Of the nationalistic aspr-
atoms of the Jugo-Slavs for freedom.
THE president is, therefore, no Ion
ger at liberty to accept the mere 'au-
tonomy' Of these peoples as basis of
peace, but is obliged to insist that
they, and not he, shall be the judges
Of what action on the part of the
government will
satisfy their aspirations and their con
ception Of their rights and destiny
as members Of the family Of nations
Accept, sir, the renewed assur-
ances Of my highest consideration.
(SigneO, ROBERT LANSING"
Text of Austrla's Plea For Truce.
1.-The Austro-Hungary monarchy,
which has waged war always and sole
ly as defensive war, and repeatedly
given documentary evidence of its
readiness to stop the shedding of blood
and arrive at just and honorable
peace, hereby addresses itself to his
lordship, the president of the United
States of America, and offers to con-
clude with him and his allies an ar
mistice on every front on land. at sea
and in the air, and to enter immedi-
ately upon negotiations toward
peace for which the fourteen points
in the message of President Wilson to
congress of January s, 1918 and the
four points contained in President
Wilson's address on February -, 1918.
serve as the foundation and in which
the viewpoints declared by President
Wilson in his address of September
p, 1918, will also be taken into ac-
count"