The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-16
British Foreign Sec'y So Char.
acterizes Austrian Proposal.
Says 1t Is Not an Honest At.
tempt To'Obtain Peace.
PURPOSE is TO DIVIDE ALLIES
Written in Wilhelmstrasse
Berlin, Says the Express.
"Stalest of Diplomatic Tricks
Declares London Times.

DeCldTeS LOuuOu Il IuOSs
London, Sept. IA. j. Baltour, the
British foreign secretary. giving his
personal viewpoints on the Austrian
peace note TO visiting journalists, said:
IT is incredible that anything can
come of this proposal. Coming after
the recent speech of Friedrich Won
Payer. the German imperial vice chan
cellor." Mr.. Ralfour said, a'this cynical
proposal of the Austrian government
is not a genuine attempt to obtain
peace. 1t is an attempt to divide the
allies The foreign secretary said he
was utterly unable to see that con :
Terence proposed by Austria could
have the desired end.
I'm the proposals now made TO us
as l have been able to study them" -
Mr.. Balfour said, II cannot honestly
see the slightest hope that the goal
we desire-the goal 6f peace which
shall be more than truce--can really
be attained
Mr.. Balfour, said no one should take
upon himself the task of rejecting
with a light heart any proposal which
would shorten the length of the war.
He also declared that no coalition ever
mad been so strong as the allied
coalition, and that the enemy would
not succeed in breaking it.
Conversations such as were pro-
posed by Austria Hungary, Mr.. Bal
four said, undoubtedly would have
great value. under certain circum-
stances. He said they would serve to
smooth out obscurities such-as ques-
tons OF pride, but he declared that
the questions now between the he'll
ligerents were definitely defined.
II am not taking the proposals of
two years ago or of last year but of
last week." Secretary Balfour said,
The German vice chancellor. speak
ing for the German government,
clearly and without obscure verbiage,
showed where Germany stood on the
question of Belgium. Alsace-Lorraine,
the German colonies and Brest-
Litovsk and Bucharest treaties"
The foreign secretary said he agreed
with the Austrian note when its
authors pointed out that the whole of
civilization was at stake, and that the
prolongation of hostilities was a risk
ing or sacrificing of a great deal that
was really dear to everybody interested
in the progress of mankind.
London. Sept. 16.1Austria's invita-
ton to the belligerents to meet in in
formal peace discussions is indignant
~ rejected by the London morning
newspapers. The offer of peace to
Belgium is regarded as a shameless
insult.
1.-THE Austrian note does not bring
real peace any nearer" says the Ex-
press. elirinary conditions to peace
have been stated over and over again
by the allies and there is not the faint
est suggestion that the central power;
Will agree to any one of these condi-
tions. The disingenuousness of the
note betrays that it was written in
Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin
Relative to the offer of peace to
Belgium the Express says: This is
smother Brest-litUvsk scheme and part
OF the same plan for preserving the
power of the Hohenzollerns,"
The News Alone Would Accept.
The pacifist Daily News is the sole
exception to the prevalent tone of
comment. Anticipating general rejec-
ton of the Austrian proposals it ar
CUES that discussions must occur soon
er or later as a preliminary to peace
and says: Against the more than re-
mote prospect that discussion might
leave Germany obdurate, they might
have very different result in the case
of Turkey, Bulgaria and even Austria.
The allies, with an unassailable moral
case, have everything to gain and
nothing to lose by discussion
The German emperor is a ven-
trfloQuist, whose voice we may hear in
this Austrian telegram" the news
paper continues" and we hear ii be-
cause the military masters under
whom Germany is bleeding are afraid.
Mr.. Wilson's great watchword, mo
pedCo Win dutoCIdcys dPpiIes 10 AUS
tria as we'll as Prussia, and for the
same cause no German autocracy can
be trusted for an hour. The allied
attitude il clear. We require repara-
ton, restitution and guarantees, and
since the fresh German outrages upon
French territory we require the pun
ishment of the criminals. Nothing
less will do. We remind the enemy of
President Wilson's words, There can
be no compromise; no halfway deci-
sion is tolerable.'"
Offers Belgium Scrap of Paper.
AS to the offer of Belgium. the Mail
says it lis insulting, and only "offers
Belgians one more scrap of, paper"
THE note is absurd on the very face
of it," says the Telegraph.
sit is disingenuous, cynical and In
sincere, while the proposal to Belgium
is both insincere and insolent. We
must find a repentent and contrite