The sun., 1918-09-16
AUSTRIA PROPOSES
SECRET DISCUSSION
Continued from First Page.

Ieeponsioie Factors as desire 10 overcome
ne oppohent oy military means ana 10
lorce the VIII to victory upon MIN. thfre,
can, nevertheless, no LONGER be doupq
.hat this AIM even assuming tnat u is'
attaihapie' YOU'D nrst necesstate iur-
ther sanguinary and protracted struggle:
But even q later victorious peace VIII
no longer be able to make good the con-
sequences or such policy-conse-
quences which VIII be fatal TO all the
states and peoples OF Europe The only
peace which could righteousiy adjust the
stu divergent conceptions OF the op.
ponents would be peace desired by all
'he peoples win TINS consciousness
ana III its answering endeaSor 10 Work
IN the interests OF peace the Austro-
hungarian Government now again comes
FORWARD win suggestion WIN the op-
yect OF bringing ABOUT direct DISCUS
sion between the enemy POWERS
Ca. pu,..
""
The earnest will to peace OF wide
classes of the population OF all the
States who are jointly suffering through
the Wharf.-The indispu4able rapprochement
In individual controversial ouestions-as
well as the more conciliatory atmos-
phere that IL genera. Seem to the Aus
tro- Hungarian Government to give
| certain guarantee that fresh step In
account Of past experiences in this
offer the possibility OF success.
THE Austro- Hungarian Government
! has therefore resolved to point out to
| all the belligerents, friend and foe, a
| path considered practicable by II and
| to propose to them Jointly to examine
| in free exchange Of Views whether
| those prerequisites exist which would
make the speedy Inauguration of peace
| negotiations appear promising. To this
end the Austro-Hungarian Government
has to-day invited the Governments Of
all the belligerent States to a confiden-
/ tial and unbinding discussion at n neu-
trail meeting place, and has addressed to
them note drawn up IN this sense.
This step has been brought to the
! knowledge of the Holy See in a special
note. and an appeal thereby made 10
the Pope's interest in peace. Further
more. the Governments Of the neutral
States have been acquainted with the
step taken.
! THE constant close accord which
exists among the four allied Powers
warrants the assumption that the al
lies OF Austria Hungary, to whom the
proposal is being sent In the same
manner. share the views developed in
| the note"
Text of the vienna Note.
|
| Inc ofncial telegram proceeds 10 say
tnat the note mas neen draSh up IN
french ana runs as foiloWs:
| Inc peace oner winch the fowers
OF the ouadruple Alliance addressed to
their opponents on December IL, 1915,
| ana the conciliatory basic IDEAS OF
| winch they nave never given up sig
nihes. despHe the re)ection which II
| experienced, an important stage IN the
| history OF this war. In contrast TO the
hrst two ana half war years. the oues-
| ton or peace has from that momen,
been the centre OF European. aye. OF
world, discussion and dominates 1t In
ever increasing measure.
Almost all the beliiserent State.
have in turn again and again expressed
| themselves on the question OF peace
its prerequisites and conditions. The
| line of development OF this discussion
however. has not been uniform and
| steady. The basic standpoint changed
under the influence OF the military and
| political position, and hitherto at any
rate 1t has not led to tangible gen.
eral result that could be utilized.
1T is true that, Independent, OF all
these oscillations, It can be stated tina,
the distance between the conceptions OF
the two sides has. on the whole, grown
putable continuance OF decided and hith-
turning from many Of the most extreme
concreta war aims In visible and a Ger.
lain agreement upon the relative general
basic principles Of a world peace mani.
tests itself In both camps there rs un.
doubtedlv observable in wide classes OF
1.-THE nopulation a growth of the will tc
neace and understanding.
Narrower. a comparison OF the re.
lception OF the peace proposal OF the
Powers OF the Ouadruple Alliance OF
the mart OF their opponents. with tht
later u,teranceI of responsible statesmen
of the latter. as well as of the non
responsible, but In political respect
luow,se un!nfuential personalities, con.
Arms this impression.
while. for example, the reply of thu
Allies to President Wilson made de-
Imands which amounted to the dismem
berment Of Austria Hungary. to a dimi
mutton and a deep internal transforms
ition of the German Empire and the
destruction OF Turkish European owner
ship. these demands. the realization o,
which was based on the suppostion Of
an overwhelming victory. were latei
modih fed in many declarations from Off