The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1918-09-19
u. 5. REJECTS AUSTRIA.
HUNCARY'S PEACE LETTER

Washington, Sept. l6.-The United
States, as was fully expected, has
Internationally rejected Austria-Hun-
gAry's peace feeler. In doing SO the
government has spoken for all the CO.
belligerents.
Almost Immediately after receiv-
ing the Austrian governments note
from Sweden. Mr.. Ekengren, Secre-
tary Lansing tonight issued this for
NAL statement:
II am authorized by the president
to state that the following will be the
reply of this government to the Aus
tro-Hungrian note proposing an un-
official conference of belligerents:
"'The government of the United
States feels that there is only one re-
ply which ii can make to the sugges-
ton of the imperial Austro- Hungarian
government 1t his repeatedly and
with entire candor stated the terms
upon which the United States would
consider peace and can and will enter
no proposal for a conference upon a
matter concerning which it has made
its position and purpose so plain"
Reply 10 Given out Quickly by Lansing
Mr.. Lansing's statement was given
out within half an hour after he had
received the Austrian proposal. 1t
would have been forthcoming almost
Immediately upon the delivery of the
Austrian note had it not been found
necessary in order to avoid the pos
sibility Of grave error to make a
careful comparison between the ofiic-
ial text and that which was received
in news dispatches last night from
Amsterdam.
These terms referred to in the re-
ply dictated today to the Austrian
note, were clearly set out in Presi-
dent Wilson's Forth of July speech
at Mount Vernon, as follows:
81. The destruction Of every ar
bitrary power anywhere that can
separately, secretely and of its single
choice, disturb the epace of the
world, or, II it cannoe be presently
destroyed, at least It's reduction to
virtual impotence.
-, The settlement Of every ques-
ton, whether Of territory, of SOW
erignty, Of economic arrangements
of political relationship, upon the
basis Of the free acceptance Of that
settlement by the people Immediately
concerned and not upon the basis of
the material interest or advantage
of any other nation or people which
may desire different settlement for
the sake of its own exterior influence
or mastery.
"3. The consent Of all nations to
be governed in their conduct toward
each other by the same principles Of
hoEor or respect for the common law
of civilized society that govern the
individual citizens of all modern
states in their relations with one an
other; to the end that all promises
and covenants may be sacredly OBJ
served, no private conspiracy Matched,
no selfish injuries wrought with inn
punity and a mutual trust establish
ed upon the handsome foundation Of
a mature respect for right.
Urges Peace Organization.
"a. The establishment Of an or
panization Of peace which shall make |
It certain that the combined power !
Of free nations will check every in
sasion Of right and serve to make /
peace and justice the more secure by
affording a definite tribunal Of
opinion to which all must submit
and by which every international re-
adjustment that cannot amicably
agreed upon by the peoples directly
shall be sanctioned"