Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-16
Test Of Austria's Note
Asking For Peace Farley

AxDterdam. Sept. ls.-In extending
- Invitation to all the belligerent gov
N0snments to enter into nonbinding dis
UnntonS at some neutral meeting place,
- Austro Hungarian government
s1AAsd that tho object Of the conference
WoaId be to secure an exchange Of views
which would show whether those pre-
requisites exit which would make the
Speedy Inauguration of peace negotia-
lions appear promising
The proposal calls for all the bellig-
ersnts to send delegates for a CON
ndenttal and unbinding discussion on
De bastc Ssinciples for the conclusion
of peace, in . place in a neutral coun'
try and at . near date that would yet
have to be, agreed upon
Sends Notes to Allies.
Ths proposal says the conference
would be ono OF delegates who would
be charged to make known to one an
other the conception OF their govern
ment regarding those principles and &c
receive analogous COMMUNICATIONS, as
well a. to request and give frank and
candid explanations on all those points
which need to be precisely defined"
The government announces that a
note embodying its suggestions had been
addressed to the various belligerent
powers and that the holy sec had been
appraised of the proposal in a special
note.
The government of the neutral states
also had been made acquainted with the
proposal.
Austria's Peace Plea.
The text OF the official communica-
ton reads:
without optimism II at least as
suredly may be deducted from the
utterances of responsible statesmen that
the desire to reach an understanding
and not TO decide the war exclusively
by force of arms is also gradually be-
ginning to penetrate into allied states.
save for some exceptions in the case
of blinded war agitators which are
certainly not TO be estimated lightly.
The Austro- Hungarian government
is aware that after the deep-reachins
commissions which have been caused in
the life of the peoples by the devastat-
ing effects OF the world war it will not
be possible to re establish order in the
tottering world at a single stroke.
For "AiI the Peoples"
The path that leads to the restora-
ton Of peaceful relations between the
people is cut by hatred and embitter-
ment It is toilsome and wearisome,
yet it is our duty to tread this path
the path Of negotiations-and If there
are still such responsible factors as
desire to overcome the opponent by
military means and to force the VIII
to victory upon him. there can, never
theless. no longer be doubt that this
aim, even assuming that it is attain
able would first necessitate a further
sanguinary and protracted struggle
But even a later victorious peace
will no longer be able to make good
the consequences of such a policy
consequences which will be fatal to all
the states and peoples of Europe. The
only peace which could righteously ad-
just the still divergent conceptions
of the opponents would be a peace de-
sired by all the peoples.
Sees Hope in Farley.
with this consciousness. and in its
answering endeayor TO work in the
interests Ol pedCc, the
ian government now again comes for
ward with suggestion with the object
of bringing about a direct discussion
between the enemy powers.
The earnest will TO peace Of wide
classes Of the population of all the
states who are jointly suffering thru
the wharf.-the indisputable rapproach-
ment in individual controversial ques-
tions-as well as the more conciliatory
atmosphere that is general, seems to
the Austro- Hungarian government to
give a certain guarantee that a fresh
step in the interests of peace which
also takes accounts Of past expert
ences in this domain, might at the pre-
sent moment offer the possibility of
success
Asks Pope to Take Hand.
The .Austro- Hungarian government
has, therefore, resolved to point out to