The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-16
AUSTRIA REPORTED
asking FOR PEACE;
ALLIES SCORNlF0l
Pr oposal Indicates Desire
EorEarly Non-Binding
! Discussion.
BERf.NHN SPIRE D
EhtRefusal Almost Ger
| tmstnBe Unanimous
Nhct Of Entente
Nations.
BERf.nNN S P IR E D

entlnn. Sept f5.--Dctails
11-Hmgaryx peace offer.
0mny reported from Vienna
0hAAkuAght. are looked for with
E1onk 4uaeeen here, but UP to an
ey hour this evening the full
NUtaR"1 Summary Of the Austro.
Hungarian note had not yet come
through
Vfennxrs proposal. according to
preliminary dispatches, Is for all
beAnxdRcasfg to meet at some
neutral place and enter into n dis
cusston of peace, such discussion
- BE- non-bindtng.
washington, Sept l5.-The Austro-
Hungarian proposal for peace par
Iay with all belligerents had not reach
ID the state department tonight.
Secretary Lansing said today The move
was not unexpected, as the depart
nsent has been aware for some time
OF Austria's intentions in this direc-
ton
But when peace proposals come
either from Austria or Hungary-they
win and but one answer in the United
States and IL will be.
Nothing doing"
This il official tWass&neton's view
u the peace report today. The United
States ii Is said neither will talk or
consider peace until II feels that Its
task on the other side has been ar-
com plsshed This means that the
time for peace wifi come when Ger
man armies have been driven QUE Of
France and Belgium and Geruany's
military leaders have thrown up the
sponge,
Tighten Americas Grips.
For the present, Austria's move only
will reaffirm Americas will TO win.
CfficiAls consider IL reassuriDg sign
OF victory. as they think. it indicates
the beginning OF the disinteerstion
OF the weaker Of the central powers,
or the final attempt of the kaiser TO
obtain negotiated peace while Ger
many maintains pretense of invui-
nerabtlity,
Either way. however. the allies
stand to profit by IL. they believe for
when Austria's proposals, presumably
1nstigated by Germany are unnoticed
by the allies, the dual empire soon
will make other proposals on her own
behalf because OF the desperate in
ternal conditions she faces The state
department has for some time been
In receipt of information showing the
woefui state of affairs in Austria. The
disposition here. however. has been
to place Austria in the same category
with Germany. Should she make a
bid for a separate peace though
President Wilson would be the person
10 decide what manner of reception
would be accorded the proposal
The central powers certainly have
run true to form in the present pro-
posal AS in the past they have sen,
out the call for help only because they
know the ship is in danger.
When Foch counter attacked at the
Marine there came the first rustlins
OF the olive branch in Germany
When the British smashed through
Al q north, the old, familiar lets
sit down and talk this thing over
signs reappeared, and now, that the
Americans have taken their regular
turn on the western front and are
achieving more than ordinary sue
cesses. there comes the Austrian pro.
posal.
Kaiser Gives Hint.
The past month, in addition. has
given numerous surface indications
OF the trend the official mind in both
Germany and Austria is taking these
DAYS. The chief example. of course
was the kaiser's speech before the
workmen and women at the krupI
works In Essen. Then too. there was