Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-16
GERMANY OFFERS
BELGIUM PEACE;
AUSTRIA PLEADS
Wants All Powers to With
draw Their Troops From
Thurman Territory

London, Sept. 16.-The German
government has made a peace offer
to Belgium, it is learned here to-day.
1t also is understood that the gov
ernment has received the Austro-
Hungarian peace note and also the
proposal previously referred to, that
all the powers should withdraw their
troops from the Murman territory.
In extending an invitation to all
the belligerent governments to enter
into nom binding discussions at some
neutral meeting place the Austro-
hungarian government states that
the object. of the conference would
be to secure an exchange of views
which would show whether those
prerequisites exist which would make
tho speedy inauguration of peace ne
gotiations appear promising"
The Austrian proposal suggests
that there be no interruption of the
war. and that the discussions would
go only so far as is considered by
the participants to offer prospects of
success" 1t is proposed that all the
belligerents send delegates to CON
fidential and unbinding discussion on
the basic principles for the conclu-
sion of peace. in a place in a neu-
trail country and at a near date. that
would yet have to be agreed upon.
The delegates, it is proposed,
would be charged to make known
to one another the conception of
their governments regarding those
principles, and to receive analogous
communications, as well as to re-
quest and give frank and candid eX-
q w n
need to be precisely defined"
The Austrian proposal is an
nounced in an official communication
telegraphed here from Vienna. in
which the government announces
that a, note embodying it's sugges-
tions had been addressed to the Vari-
Gus belligerent powers, and that the
Holy See had been apprised of the
proposal in a special note. The gov
ernments of the neutral states also
are said to- have been made ac-
quainted with the proposal.
The. terms of Germany's peace
proposal to Belgium are as follows:
That Belgium shall remain neu-
trail until the end of the war.
That thereafter the entire eco
nomic and political independence of
Belgium shall be reconstructed.
That the prewar commercial
treaties between Germany and Bel
gium shall again be put into opera
ton after the war for an indefinite
period.
That Belgium shall use her good
offices to secure the return of the
German colonies.
That the Flemish question shall
be considered, and the Flemish mi
nority, which aided the German in
vaders, shall not be penalized.
The proposal contains no word re-
specting reparation or indemnities.
Austria again is Germany's cats
paw" was the comment generally
heard in London to-day when the
news of Austria's invitation to the
belligerents, Ito confidential nom
binding discussions at neutral GEN.
ter became public. 1t was not con-
sidered surprising that Austria
should. make a move to secure peace,
for Vienna, since the early days of
September, has been the scene of
many conferences of the statesmen
of the Central Powers and the Teu-
tonic allied monarchs.
Austria's peace note was handed
to the Entente representatives at
Berne, Switzerland, at 1 o'clock Sat
urday afternoon, according to the
Vossische Zeitung, of Berlin. The
note was simultaneously presented at
Berlin, Sofia and Constantinople and
was brought to the knowledge of
neutral powers.
While Austria's proposal had not
reached Washington in official form
last night, it is expected hourly
through some neutral-possibly
Sweden-and in it is recognized the
long heralded peace offensive upon
which Germany is counting to arouse
enough sentiment for peace among
the people of the Allied countries to
compel an end of the war on terms
which substantially would preserve
the Prussian conquest.
The Allied leaders recognize it as
an effort by Germany to obtain the
best terms possible.
There will be no round table con-
ference, no sounding out process,
such as Germany proposes, and
which she hopes will give opportun-
ity to deal with her enemies sepa-
rately.
If any reply at all is made it will
be after an exchange of views be-
tween the United States and the 9TH
er co-belligerents, so that reply for
all may be made in one. On every
side, among American officials and
Allied diplomats, it seems agreed
that the only ground on which Ger
many may have n conference is the
acceptance of the principles laid
down by President Wilson, and
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