The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-09-16
CRIMLY SILENT ON
PEACEPROPOSAL
Officials Regard This as Attempt
Of Germany to Use Austria
as Catspaw.
AWAITING OFFICIAL COPY.
Ws- VIII Be Won and Not Lost
by Negotiation, Prevailing
Sentiment.
AWAITING OFFICIAL COPY
(By John Edwin Neyin.l

Nby JOiH LuWtu Icviu.D
| Washington, Sept. 16.--U. N. S.)--
The war will be won; not lost by ne
gotiation.
That was the prevailing senti-
ment in official and diplomatic circles
in the capital Of the United States
today. Austrias peace offer in which
| she asked that the belligeref.ts enter
a nonbinding secret conference to =
range terms has met with no response
anywhere. Officials are grizzly silent
when asked to discuss 1t for publica-
tion. That cannot be until the offer Is
given consideration which II warrants
J by all of the nations allied against the
central powers, and 1t is formally re-
jected. But no one here In Washing
ton,, from the presidents closest ad-
visers, his senate and house spokes-
men, the chiefs of the diplomatic corps
! and the men in the street, tried to
disguise the contempt which they felt
I for the apparent effort of Germany
again to use Austria as q catspaw.
| When Germany wants peace 1t will
have to ask for 1t in its own way, de-
clared officials. The revelations Of in
trigue In Russia with the contemplate
Brest- -Litovsk treaty resulting there
from, are too well known to allow
pariey with those responsible for them.
The reply to this latest-and greatest
peace offer will simply be a ytifen-
ing OF the war spirit and the con-
tinued advance of our troops Is the
consensus Of opinion among all off,
cials here.
Diplomatic reasons compelled the
president and Secretary Lansing to
withhold any Comment whatever. Their
intention, however, seemed be re-
vealed by their subordinates, -yho when
asked what was likely to be done, SIM
py said that Gen. March would seem
to have replied to the ques' ion on Sat-
urday when he sharply stated that
America is going through with It,"
Officials said early today that the
Austrian note had not reached the
state department as yet. Inasmuch.
however. as it Is known to have been
placed in the hands Of the French and
British premiers, 1t was assumed that
its arrival here was only question OF
hours and one of mechanical trans
mission. Little time will be lost in
replying to it. There is good reason to
assume that the subject already has
been made the medium for cable ex-
changes between the entente govern
ments and the United States. That
the offer was coming has been known
here for several days. AS matter OF
fact it Ia believed to have .)sen one
Hf the compelling reasons why Presi-
dent Wilson abandoned his proposed /
coast to- coast tour III behalf Of the
liberty loan.
The president had about decided
that he would make this trip so that
he could get more in touch with the
people at large. However. in his state
ment abandoning the trip he said that |
grave international questions reluired
that he remain at home. 1t Is now |
considered certain that the interna- |
tional questions to which he referred |
were the peace drives inaugurated by |
Baron Burian's speech, the kaiser's ad- i
dress to the workers It EsseA, and |
now the open bid for compromise |
by Austria Hungary.
There is no reason for any great de-
lay in replying to the ustrian offer.
Its rejection being certain, all that will
be required will be an agreement upon
the terms in which it Is to le couched.
This should be comparatively easy
task in the opinion of officials here.
The peace terms of the entente are
known to all the world. They COM 7
prise as the first step, restitl tion.
it can be assumed that It
will be made plain to the cent? al pow
ers through Austria, that no form Of
are possible SO long as
enemy troops occupy parts of France.
italy, Serbia and Montenegro.
Belgium is in position to sound the
keynote, It was pointed out here today.
Germany has made direct cf'er to
her--a most insulting one. officials de-
clare. without O single word about
repatriation or reparatfon, disregaI d.
ng the brutal violation Of her sacred
pledged word and thereby justifying
every move she made against her small
neighbor. Germany now suggests that
,he will "Sraciously grant" a peace to
Belgium II the latter will remain neu-
rail- restore her prewar treaties; uti-
ize her influence to get Germany back
Ter forfeited colonies and agree rot to
,enalize the Flemish traitors, That
King Albert will make proper rep.y to
his offer Is accepted as cert, here.
ind that his reply will indicate ths
attitude OF his allies towards nego-
lated peace is certain. II
Congressional leaders were eunanl- :
nous in their belief that ther, must /
lot even be consideration OF the Aus
rdan peace suggestion because Of the
langer that such consideration will
give aid and comfort to the enemy.