Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-09-27
WILSON SPURNS
AUSTRIA'S OFFER
No Need of Secret Conference on
Matter So Plain, Presi-
dent Says.
REPLY is SWIFTLY DRAF FTED.
No Opportunity Given for Teuton Note
to Have Obstructive Effect on Allied
Mind-Mount Vernon Speech
BuIwark Against Peace.

Washington.-President Wilson fiat
ly rejected the Austro-Hunsarian gov
ernment's proposal for a secret peace
parley.
His reply is perhaps without prece-
dent In history. 1t was made public
within half an hour after the Swedish
minister delivered the official text OF
the note to the state department. me
Presidents answer was issued In the
form of a statement from Secretary OF
State Lansing, which read as follows:
l am authorized by the President TO
state that the following will be the re-
ply Of this government to the AuStro-
Hungarian note proposing an unoihclai
conference of belligerents:
The government of the United
States feels that there ls only o"e
reply which 1t can make to the
suggestion of the imperial Eustrc-
HUNGARIAN government. 1t has re-
peatedy and with entire candor
stated the terms upon which the
United States would consider
no proposal for conference upon
peace and can and will entertain
a matter concerning which 1t has
made its position and purpose so
plain.
The President again spoke for the
allied world, and in so doing wrote
"fnis" to the Austrian move. His an
swer consisted of exactly 68 words as
compared with the several thousand
words that made up the long state
ment from Austria.
1t was 6:20 o'clock when the Swedish
J minister, w. A. T. Ekengren, arrived
at the state department with the note
Two minutes later he left the office or
Secretary of State Lansing, and IS
minutes later Mr.. Lansing gave an au-
dience to newspaper correspondents
and made public the Presidents reply.
Future peace proposals from the
central powers must come around to
the Presidents way of thinking, as he
definitely points out in his 6S words.
He has given his peace program to the
world, and it stands as bulwark
against all sniping peace proposals
which may emanate from either Ger
many or Austria.
The most detailed statement by the
President is found in his speech of
January s, made to Congress, which,
summarized, is:
l. The methods of establishing cove
nants Of peace.
2. The freedom of navigation.
3. The removal Of economic barriers.
4. The reduction Of armament.
5. The adjustment of colonial claims.
5. The future of Russia.
7. The evacuation, restoration and
future safety of Belgium.
s. The restoration of invaded French
territory and the rightlng of the wrong
done to France in the matter Of AL
sace-L Lorraine.
8. 4 reimbursement Of the frontiers
Of Italy along clearly recognizable
lines of nationality"
| lO. Free opportunity Oh autonomous
development for the peoples Of Aus
! tria-Hungary.
II. The evacuation Of Numania,
| Serbia and Montenegro and other
| Balkan reforms.
u. Assurances \of security TO non-
Turkish nationalitics under Turkish
rule.
Is. An independent Polish state.
Il. A general association of ma
tions" to guarantee political indepen.,
dence and territorial integrity to great
| and small states alike"
In his reply the President is speak
ing for the allies as well as the United
States.