South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-16

~ E'tAtfAtn BIO hltf- fHt"t NA Nfl. NlffFA ~ al
agitators which are certainly not TO
bee estimated lightly
Peace Path cut ny Hatred.
The Austro- Hungarian govern
meut is aware that after the deep
reaching commissions which have
been caused in the life Of the peo-
plies by the devastating effects Of
the of the world war. il viii not be
possible &C. re-establish order i'm the
tOtteriug world az "a single stroke.
The path that leads to- the restora-
tion of peaceful relations between
the peoples is cut by hatred and
EN- bitterment. IT is toilsOme and
wearisome yet it Is our duty to
tread this path-the path of nego-
tiatiOu and If there are still such
responsible factors as desire to
overcome the opponent by military
means and TO force the will 10 vic
tory upon him, there can, neverthe-
less. no longer he doubt that this
aim. even assuming that it is at
tainable. would first necessitate "a
further sanguinary and protracted
struggle.
DtsiTe Direct ibi~tu~-iOtis
But even a later victorious peace
viii no longer be able to make good
the consequences Of such "a policy
consequences which will be fatal 10
an the states and peoples OF Eu-
rope The only peace which could
righteously adjust the still diver
gent conceptions Of the opponents
would be a peace desired by all the
peoples With this consciousness,
and i'm its answering endeavor TO
work i'm the interests of peace, the
Austro-Hungarian government now
again comes forward with a sugges-
tion with the object of bringing
about q direct discussion between
the enemy powers.
The earnest will 20 peace Of all
classes of the population o. all the
states who are Jointly suffering
through the war-the indisputable
rapprochement i'm individual CON
trOversial questiOns-as well as the
more conciliatory atmosphere that
Is general. seems to the AustrO-
Hungarian government TO give a
certain guarantee that a fresh step
i'm the interests of peace. which also
takes account of past experiences
i'm this domain. might at the present
moment offer the possibility Of sue
cess.
Conference To BE Unbinding.
The AustrO- Hungarian govern
ment has therefore resolved to point
out to all the belugerents. friend
and foe "a path considered practical
BILE by IT,. and 10 propose 10 them
Jointly To examine ir free eN-
change of views whether those pre-
requisites exist which would make
the speedy Inauguration of peace
negotiations appear promising. To
this end the Austro- Hungarian gov
eminent has today invited the gov
ernments OF an the beIligerent
states To confidential and unbind-
ing discussion at a neutral meeting
place. and has addressed 10 them a
note drawn up i'm this sense.
This step has been brought TO
the knowledge of the holy see i'm "a
special note. and an appeal thereby
made to the pope's interest I'm peace.
Furthermore. the governments of
lt-f neutral states ilttN g ItfH
Quaintej with the step taken.
Austrian Allies accord With Views.
THE constant close accord which
exists between he four allied pow
ers warrants the assumption that
the allies of Austria Hungary. to
whom the proposal is being sent in
the same manner. share the views
developed in the note
The official telegram proceeds To
say that the note has been drawn
up i'm French and runs as follows:
The peace offer which the pow
ers OF the quadruple alliance adj
dressed 10 their opponents on Dec.
H. 1916 and the couciliatory basic
ideas OF which they have never
given up. signifies. despite the rejec-
tiou which 1T experienced. an inn
portaut stage i'm the history of the
war I'm contrast to the first two
and a half years. the question Of
peace has from that moment been
the center of European. age. of
world discussion and dominates it
iu etcr-ipcrelsiug measure,
Previous Peace Effort Intangible
.hIIIIHNt am lilf if Ltl.-t tlll states
have i'm luru again and aSdin eX
pressed themselves on the question
~ oe.ce ir~ prerequisites and CON
Ji,.ou~ The line of development of
this discussion however has not
been uniform - steady The basic
standpoint changed under the infu-
euce OF the military and political
position. and hitherto. at any rate.
It has not led 10 "a tangible general
result that could be utilized.
"It is true that. independent of
an these cancellations it can be stat
ED that the distance between the
conceptions Of the two sides has
zrown somewhat Iess. that despite
the mdisputabIe continuance of de
cided and hitherto uubridged differ
ence~. "a partial turning from many
of the most extreme concrete war
aims is visible and d certain agree-
ment uDou Rae relative general uasio
principles of Sd Wvr.d peace. lu both
camps there is observable ln wide
Glasses of The population "a growth
af tAy VIE to peace and under
standing Moreover I'd comparison
OF .he reception = the peace pro-
I..-I DI the powers Df tEe quad