Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-18
NEW PEACE NOTE
IS EXPECTED SOON
FROM AUSTR|ANS
Evacuation of All Enemy Terri
tory Prerequisite Condition
Even If Wilson's Prin-
ciples Are Accepted.
WILL BLOCK FUTURE WAR

offensive is n closed incident, so far as
The American government is concerned.
Secretary Lansing sent TO the Swedish
minister Yesterday the note authorized
Monday night by President Wilson fatty
rejecting in two short sentences the
proposal of the Austro-llungarian gov
ernncnt for secret and nOn-blnding
peace discussions 1t was started on the
cables nj once for transmission to Vienna
bv the Foreign Office at Stockholm.
The Presidents accommodating the
precedent setting brevity of the reply
and the promptncss with which 1t was
dcliyered-lrew expressions OF approval
during the dav everywhere in Washing
ton. Mt the capitol, among officials, and
throughout the allied diplomatic corps.
Similar responses from the other nations
AT war with Germany are expected to
follow quickly.
Regarding this phase of the peace
campaign as practically closed, the adj
ministration is now closely watching for
the next move ON the part of the enemy,
for il is not believed that they will aban-
don their efforts.
RESTRICTION or DISCUSSION
II has been suggested that, denied
unlimited fields Of secret discussion of war
issues. Austria may attempt coup by
asserting to n restriction of the discussion
To the principles laid down by President
Wilson rs the only possible basis OF peace.
II was said authoritatively yesterday
that such aproposition undoubtedly would
be accepted But this statement was ac-
conpanlcd by n significant reminder OF
conditions winch must be met preliminary
t. any such discussion. These are that
the Central Powers
Must withdraw completely from all
occupicd territory in France and Belgium,
HalV. Russia snd Serbia.
The Germans must drop the sIbterfugc
al the Rrest -litovsk treaty made uy
Germany with Russian agents hired TO
bctrav their country
They must loosen their hold upon the
wheat fields Of Ukrainia and the oil wells
of Serbia and Russia.
And all this must be done before
America would consent to talk Of peace,
even upon the basis Of the Presidents
sipuIaton.
WILSON'S PRINCIPLES STATED.
Attention was called TO the fact that
in his reply Secretary Lansing referred
10 the terms upon which the United
States would consider peace rs having
been stated repeatedly That meant
not only that the four propositions land
down hv President Wilson IN his Fourth
of July speech at Mount Vernon must hc
considered. but that they must I've con
s,dercd in connection with other dcclara-
tions from the same source.
II was particularly intended, II was
explained. that there should he held IN
mind the fourteen propositions stated
bv the President in his address 20 Con-
presss on Jan : last. Whereas, the Fourth
of July speech stated simply broad general
principles that should govern any peace
discussion. the address, 70 Congress land
down details Of the position, and there
fore should he the governing utterance.
THF FOURTEEN PRIME ESSENTIALS.
Accordingly. before the Central Powers
can have any peace discussions with the
Entente powers and America they must
accept the principles Of H
No secret treaties
Freedom of the seas. except to sup
press predatory nations that fail 10 re
spect international covenants.
The removal of all trade barriers.
Reduction of armamcnts.
Adjustment Of colonial claims with
reference to the wishes of the governed
population.
The evacuation Of Russian territory
and abandonment Of economic control
therein
Independence Of Belgium with lndem-
nlhcatiOn
Restoration Of Alsace-LOrralne.
Rcadju stment Of ltalys frontiers
Autonomous government for the diff
ferent nationahties OF Austria-Hungsry.
Evacuation OF Romania, Serbia and
Montenegro.
REIMBURSEMENT Of Turkish control Of
non-Turkish populations
An independent Polish state
League of Nations, TO guarantee
political independence and territorial
integrity TO great and small states alike.