The Washington herald., 1918-10-18
AUSTRIANSIN
TURMOIL MAY
COMPEL PEACE
Emperor Charles Ready to
Grant Autonomy to
Hungary.
REICHRATH In RIOT
Balkan Crisis May Force
Germany to Acceptance
of u. S. Terms.
REICHRATH IN RIOT


of a crisis, which will either COM
pei Germany to accept President
Wilson's decision. or. make II i'm
perative for the Dual Monarchy to
az: on it's own accord for peace.
This situation, revealed in OH
cial dispatches received here t.
day. shows the effect that the
Presidents note has already had on
public opinion in that country.
The State Department, 1t was an
nounced yesterday afternoon. has
been advised that Emperor Charles.
because of the political ferment his
country is in. will take occasion at
a meeting of the Austro- Hungar-
ian delegates, to issue a manifesto
to the people granting autonomy,
and a new system of government,
In so doing, IL is assumed, he will
attempt to forestall the inevitable
and the inevitable. ..in the case of
| austria, is Independence for the
Czecho- o-Slovaks and the Poles 1t
would be natural. however, for the
emperor il was pointed out, 20 think
his cause w0Ul1 lie benefited IL he,
could tell the President he had acted
Tor peace by carrying out the desires
of the former before he was orde, ed.
Craeow In Turmoil.
Other advices to the State Depart
ment, significant of the unrest and
turmoil in Austria, recite how eighty
six Polish members of the Reichcs-
rath met and organized recently at
Craacow. declaring they would no
longer. sit in that body. Their dis
Satisfaction 30
the Austrian plan toward Poland;
and also because they have demanded
the Independence of their native
country.
The only thing approaching con-
tirmation of the report that rebellion
Is sweeping Bohemia was another
dispatch to the State Department,
which quoted the Frankfurter Zeit-
ung as reporting the spread OF
general strike throughout Bohemia.
An official dispatch from Vienna,
by way of Basle, says public opinion
in Austria has been disabled" as
a result of the publication of the
Presidents decision. 1t adds:
TT is considered that his note COM
pels Germany to take resolutions of
extreme Importance on the matter
of peace negotiations. Such actions
should be taken. even though OBJ
stacles abound. as the way to peace
Is not absolutely barred"
A second advice from Basic, touch
ing on affairs within the dual mon
archy, says:
slnvonic Nationalists Act.
The situation is getting more seri-
Gus every day. The Slavonic Nation
alists not only claim their rights, but
proceed to act. The Croats announce
that they intend to proclaim, in a
solemn way, at the Budapest cham
Der. their distinction from Hungary
and their independence. The future
establishment of a Czech estate is
openly talked of on every side. The
majority is said to favor a monarchy
and the throne would be offered either
to the Duke of Connaught or to Prince
Hohenburg, the eldest son of Arch
duke Francois Ferdinand
"At the last plenary session of the
Austrian delegation the Poles stated
that all the Polish members of parlia-
ment adhere to the declaration made
on October 2 in the Reichsrath Polish
deputies indicated in this declara .ioa
their desire that the government tnke
all the necessary steps to secure OBJ
servance OF President Wilson's prin-
clples as far as Poland Is concerned"
Advise Confirmation.
The state Department today had no
confirmation Of the reports which
came from Germany last night, and
which hinted at everything from abdi-
cation of the Kaiser to unconditional
surrender. The American public was
again warned against placing Gre
dence in these reports, which may
have been issued to serve some ul-
terror purpose on the part of Ger
many. For the present. it was said.
everyone should concentrate attention
on the war. and place no faith in any
reports until they are fully confirmed.
The report that Germany had replied
to the Presidents decision and that
the renly 's now on its way to this
country, was treated in the same
manner. The State Department has
absolutely nothing on IL