Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-10-29
AUSTRIA Gets
COLD COMFORT
People Must Rule" Is Kernel of
Answer Made to Country's
Peace Note.
FREEDOM BEFORE ALL THINGS
Austro-Hungarian Government Must
Satisfy National Aspirations of Its
Own People Before Peace
Conditions May Be
Considered.

washington, Oct. 22-President Will
son has rejected the Austrian offer to
conclude an armistice and negotiate
peace. He declared that mere auton-
omy for Austrian nationalities was
not sufficient, but that they must have
liberty.
The text of the note handed to the
swedish minister follows:
Sir have the honor to acknowl-
euge the receipt of your not1 of the
seventh instant in which you transmit
communication of the imperial and
royal government of stria-Hungary
20 the president. I am 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 canuot entertain the pres
emf suggestions of that government be-
cause of certain events Of utmost i'm
portance which, occurring since the de-
livery of his address of the eighth OF
January last, have necessarily altered
the attitude and responsibility of the
government Of the United States.
Among the fourteen terms of peace
which the president formulated at that
time occurred the following:
"X. The peoples of Austria-Hun-
gary whose place among the nations
we wish to see safeguarded and as
sured, should be accorded the freest
opportunity of autonomous develop
ment.'
"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 and
that the Czecho- Slovak 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
tons of the Jugo-Slavs for freedom.
THE president is, therefore, no long
er at liberty to accept the mere 'auton-
omy' 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 Aus
tro-Hungarian government will salts
fly their aspirations and their concep-
ton of their rights and destiny as
members of the family of nations.
Accept, sir, the renewed assurances
of my highest consideration.
ROBERT LANSING"
In announcing his reply, Secretary
Lansing also. made public the official
text of the Austro-Hungarian note. 1t
follows:
Legation of Sweden, Washington,
d. c., Oct. Z, 1915 translation. y
Excellency: BY order of my govern
ment have the honor confidentially to
transmit herewith to you the following
communication of the imperial and
royal government of AustrO-Hungary
to the president of the United States
of America:
"The Austro-H Hungarian monarchy,
which has waged war always and sole
ly as a defensive war. and repeatedly
given documentary evidence of its
readiness to stop the shedding of blood
and to arrive at a 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 armis-
tice on every front on land, at sea, and
in the air and to enter Immediately
upon negotiations for peace for
which the fourteen points in the mes
sage of President Wilson to congress
of January s, 1915 and the four
points contained in President Wilson's
address of February u, 1918. should
serve as foundation in which the
Viewpoints declared by President Will
son in his address of September q,
1918, will also be taken into account
'Be pleased to accept, ETC.,
"W. A. f. EKEVGREN.
"His excellency. Mr.. Robert Lans-
ing, secretary of state of the United
States, Washington"