The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-09-19
.GE R|NANY Gets AN
Immediate mo"
SECRETARY LANSING PROMPTLY
REJECTS PROPOSAL.
BACKED BY THE PRESIDENT
U. S. viii Have Ma Part in Conference
as Proposed by Huns.-American
Terms Heretofore Definitely
Stated.

washington, ID. T., sept. lI-lHe
United States, as was fully expected,
has Internationally rejected Ger
many's peace feeler.
In doing so the government has
spoken for all the co-belligerents.
Almost Immediately after receiving
the Austrian governments note from
the minister of Sweden, Mr., Ekengren,
Secretary Lansing last night issued
this formal statment: '7--.';.
81 am authorized by the pres
ident to state that the following
Will be the reply Of this govern
ment to the Austro-Hungarian
note proposing an unofficial con-
ference of belligerents:
"'The government of the
only one reply which it can make
to the suggestion of the imperial
Austro- Hungarian government
It has repeatedly and with entire
sander stated the terms upon
which the United States would
consider peace, and can and will
entertain no proposal for a confer
ence upon a matter concerning
which it has made its position and
purpose so plain"
No Delay In Reply.
Mr.. Lansing's statement was given
out within half an hour after he had
received the Austrian proposal. II
would have been forthcoming almost
upon the delivery of the
Austrian note had it not been found
necessary in order to avoid the pos
sibility of grave error, to make care
full comparison between the official
ext and that which was received in
news dispatches last night from Ans
'erdam. - 4#MM
No Shadow Of Doubt.
Thus emphasis added to the declina.
ton, if any were needed, the quick
ness of the reply indicating the eX
istence 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 in form, it will be handed to
the Swedish minister for transmission
to Austria.
Presented by Swedish Legation.
The Swedish legation notified the
state department early in the after
hn hnl hn onn
that it would be presented as soon as
it could be decided and translated from
the French This consumed several
hours and it was not until 500 o'clock
that Mr. Ekengren appeared. He re-
manned with the secretary only two
minutes.
To Forestail Discussion.
There is some reason to believe tina
the secretary acted with this unpre.
cedented promptness in matter OF
such great importances with the de-
sign not only to indicate clearly the
position of the United States govern
ment, but perhaps to anticipate and
prevent as far as possible newspaper
discussion of the Austrian proposition
which might convey to the enemy
impression that there was
any considerable element in the Uni
ted States willing to consider a ne
gotiated peace, such as the 'non.bind-
ing" discussions, proposed by Austria,
might develop.
n Keynote for Allies.
Also it is understood, there was a
purpose to sound the note which the
entente powers must repeat in their
own answers. All these powers had
gone on record formally as accepting
the conditions of peace laid down by
President Wilson as their own.
d While no reference to 1t was made
In the reply which the United Statea
government is making to Austria. it
is known that one of the most object
ionable features of Baron Burian's pro
position was the secrecy suggested for
the "non-binding" conferences. 1t was
realized by officials here that the pur-
pose was to barter away the rights OF
various nationalities in star chamber
proceedings so that the victims would
have no knowledge of their fate until
1t was beyond recall. This system OF
barter was particularly denounced by
President Wilson in one OF his
speeches. Q4 ~vEVW
England, Too, Stands Pat.
London. Sept. 17.--Without excep-
ton London papers passed theii
opinion and endorsement on the un
official reply to the Austrian peace
proposals as voiced by Foreign Sec
rotary Balfour. when he declared
that there would be no peace on such
a foundation.
Even the Daily News which had
urged the consideration of the invi-
tation for unbinding peace discus
sions declared Balfour's attitude on
the subject to be reasonable.
Allies Are In Accord.
London. Sept. 17.--'President VII
I, son speaks for the allies, declared
Lord Northcliff writing in the Eve
ing News today relative to the refusal
OF Austria's peace proposals.