Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-13
Circulation Every 1OA00
Evening esterday lZ4UO
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER IS, 1918.
They Seem to See the End.

Recent utterances by public men In
Austria-Hungsry indicate that they rea-
Lze the hopelessness of the German
situation In the war, and the Importance
OF looking for peace rather than for more
fighting. They know that Germany
cannot win. and possibly they fear that
ev,n German victory would bring little
or no benefit to their distracted and suf-
fering country Internal conditions IN
Austria Hungary have long been at a
critical stage, and an uprising there at
apv time would not be at all startling.
The people are suffering, are heartily
tined of the war, and are daily giving
manifestations of their unrest and dis
satisfaction.
II am certain this war must cost a
terrible amount of bloodshed before the
end can be reached by the military over
throw of the enemy. if, indeed, this is at
all possible ] must talk TO YOU of peace
because WE all honestly want it" So
said Baron Burian, Foreign Minister of
Austra-Hungary, IN a public address
recently delivered
Popular confidence is tottenDg. We
must forget our differences; then we may
win This significant remark was
made bv Count Vitsthum Won Eckstaedt,
Foreign Minister of SaXony.
"A decisive military victory is dream
useless to purss,e. We should not become
slaves to the idea Of Middle Europe
We ought to accept as basis for negotia-
tions President Wilson'S program This
significant utterance, aimed directly at
the pet German desire for an absolute
control of all Middle Europe, was made
nv Count Michael karoly1, president of
the hungarian Independent party. The
world well knows how tired Hungary Is
getting of the war. which holds out no
promise to her people, and for quite awhile
has been struggling at the end OF the
leash that binds her 10 Austria and TO
Germany.
"Our position isn't easy. 1t is difficult
10 issue forth from our defensive front to
a great and enduring offensive" This
prsctical admission of defeat comes from
General Won Freytag-Loringhoven head
of the General German Staff at Berlin
Such an admission from such q source is
surprising. Why the Kaiser has not call
ed him 10 account and at least Inundated /,
him for giving expression TO such belief
Is hard to understand.
All these public statements, coming
from the inner circles of the German
enemy, are most important. They show
that, despite the efforts OF the Kaiser
and his close adherents 10 deceive the !
German people by false reports of victory /
and roseate predictions of ultimate sue
cess, the pail Of coming defeat is spread /
ing all over Germany and Austria-Hun- I
gary The German government may
continue TO make pretenses and send out |
bluffs. 1t may make money loans to /
Turkey But il cannot deceive the Ger |
man people any longer into a hope for /
ultimate success of German arms.
A great break by the people of Ger
many and Austria-Hungary seems i'm
4Acf dlt SulItiiA&E
from the stress of war. For four years
they were buoyed up by the hope of VIC
tory to be followed by huge money in
IDENTITIES and great accessions Of bru-
tally conquered territory. But now they
see no prospect but that of defeat over
whelming defeat, TO be followed by alb
ject submission 10 such terms of peace as
Germany conquerors may be pleased to
grant
No wonder the public men oi Germany
and Austria-Liumgary, including military
leaders, are beginning to blurt out the
PLAIN truth.