The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-02
I CONDITIONS N GERMANY.
RELIEVED THAT MOVEMENT HAS
PASSED BEYOND MILITARY
CONTROL.

BELIEVED THAT MOVEMENT HAS
PASSED BEYOND MILITARY
CONTROL.
State Department Does Not Make
Pnbiic Last nc e-Understood TO
Attempt to Show Th:.t Efforts To-
ward Democracy Ha. - Been Sue
cessfnl i'm Germany.
Washington, Oct. 30.-The general
opinion among officials and diplomats
/ here is that the German proposal for
an armistice and peace, while naVlng
| its origin in plan to gain tipne LOT
strengthening the Amy ana restoring
its shattered morale, has now sotten
heyond control of the military party
and that the German people are the
force which is driving the German
! government to make for the end OF
the war.
Anothe. note from the German gov
ernment explanatory Of the changes
that have been made or are project
ed. in the German constitution ana
| form of government was received to-
aav through the Swiss legation, but
the state department did not make it
public. This note was understood to
be supplementary to the preceding
German communication saying to the
president that he has knowledge OF
| the efforts that have been. made to
democratize Germany.
President Wilson was at work to-
day on his reply to Austria's renewed.
Plea for an armistice and peace and II
was expected that it Wou1d be dis
Matched before night, but later today
! it was said at the state department
| that there would be no announce.
| ment regarding the reply tonight.
| It was understood that in the note
the president intended to touch upon
! the steps that Austria and Hungary
have taken in the decision Of releas-
ing subject peoples from political
bondage, but that the Austrian gov
ernment's plea would be referred to
the allied governments. The admin
istration was said to be we'll conyinc-
ed now that. Austria already is near
ly out of. the war and that her will
for peace is simply tempered by a
natural disposition to get the. best
terms possible short Of uncondition-
al surrender The report that Count
Andrassy, the new Austrian premier,
I is about. to sue directly to Italy for
peace; on the ground that Italy Is
Austria's "sole antagonist" is gen.
orally regarded as confrmatory OF
this understanding of the hopeless
situation IN the dual empire.
It was pointed out that since Italy
solemnl, engaged with the other en-
tente powers not to make separate
peace if Austria carries out this plan
1T naturally would be referred' by
Italy to the supreme war council.
There was no official information
here today as to the progress Of the
deliberations of the supreme war
council and notice was taken OF the
| reserved attitude of the council In
issuing any statements to the public
The inference is drawn that a def
mite policy has been agreed upon to
withhold all information regarding
the discussions before the council OF
the grave diplomatic and military
questions which now engage its atten-
ton in connection with the prepara-
ton OF an armistico.
| Col E. NJ House, who IS in Paris as
| the special representative Of the
/ American government to the Euro
I pean governments. has been making
! long reports to Washington. but it is
! believed these do not relate to the
proceedings Of the war council but
rather erlbody the individual Views
| he has gathered from many private
conferences with the entente pre-
! nniers, cabinet officers and military
I and naval officers in attendance up
on the council.
There has been much speculation in
! official circles as to the probable fea-
lures of the armistice which will be
4 offered to the central powers. but it is
4 admitted that there is no definite
knowledge on the subject. One; COM
4 lparative1y new proposition relates to
i the guarantees to be exacted from
I Germany for the repayment Of the
Tremendous financial losses suffered
lby the populations Of those portions
i Of Belgium and France occupied by
the German troops This is under
| stood to contemplate the possession
{ lof the entente powers Of a number
Of important industrial cities in the
Rhine country and OF the products of
4 the mines and the soils therein until
compensation has been made: Thus
), fG ermany would be dependent upon
I, the entente powers for any iron and
,Fcoal or manufactured products she
I, might have to draw from that ter
!. ritory.
4 The official text Of the Austrian
|, note which did not differ materially
Z from the unofficial version, was made
public today at the State department.
but there was no announcement OF
the receipt of the communication
from Count Andrassy to Secretary
Lansing asking the secretary to use
his good offices with the president in
| l,e4oalf: of AuStriaS plea.