Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-09-20
President Wilson Promptly Re-
fuses Invitation for Peace
Conference,
A8S0LuTISM MUST EMO
Secretary Lansing Issues Authorized
Statement That America Has Pre-
ciseiy Stated Only Terms
That Are Acceptable.

Washington, Sept. II. - Germany s
peace feeler has been Internationally
rejected by the United States. In
doing so the government has spoken
for all the co-belligerents. Almost
Immediately after receiving the Aus.
trian governments note from the min
lister from Sweden, Mr.. Ekengren,
Secretary Lansing issued this formal
statement:
Il am authorized by the President
to state that the following will be the
reply of this government to the Austro-
Hungarian note proposing an unofficial
conference Of belligerents: ~.
'"The government of the United
States feels that there is only one
reply which it can make to the sug-
gestion of the imperial Austro- Hungar-
ian government. 1t has repeatedly and
with entire candor stated the terms
upon which the United States would
consider peace, and can and will en-
terrain no proposal for conference
upon a matter concerning which it
has made its position and purpose so
plain"
Mr.. Lansing's statement was given
out within half an hour after he had
received the Austrian proposal. It
would have been Forthcoming almost
Immediately on the receipt of the
Austrian note, if it had not. been
necessary, to- avoid the possibility of
grave errors, to make careful COM
parison between the official text and
that which was received in news dis
patches from Amsterdam. ~.
Thus emphasis was added to the
declination If any we're needed, the
quickness Of the reply indicating the
existence of no shadow of doubt in
the mind of the Administration as to
what it should be. As soon as Mr..
Lansing's reply can be put into form
it will be handed to the Swedish min
lister for transmission to Austria.
There is some reason to believe that
the secretary acted with this unprece-
denied promptness in matter of such
with the decision not only
to indicate clearly the position Of the
United States government, but per-
haps to anticipate and prevent, 50 far
as possible, newspaper discussions Of
the Austrian proposition which might
convey to the enemy misleading i'm.
preston that there was any consider.
able element in the United States will.
ing to consider a negotiated peace,
such as. the fnon.binding" discussions
proposed by Austria might develop.
Also, it Is understood, there was a
purpose to sound the note which the
Allied powers might repeat in their
own answer. All these powers had
gone on record formally as accepting
the condition Of peace laid down by
President Wilson as their own.
While no reference to it was made
in the reply which the United States
governmen emit is making to Austria, it
is known that one of the most objec-
tionable features of Baron Burian's
proposition was the secrecy suggested
for the "non-binding" conference.
It was realized by officials here that
the purpose was to barter away the
rights Of various nationalities in star
chamber proceedings so that the VIC
tins would have no knowledge of their
fate until it was beyond recall. This
system of barter was particularly de-
nounced by President Wilson in one
Of his speeches.