The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-10-05

All the allied ministers who former
ly were at Jassy, Roumania, including |
Charles Vopicka of America, have
been arrested in Petrograd, according |
to a report reaching The Hague.
-@-
Austria's suggestion of "n0nbind'
ing conference of all the belligerents |
to make clear their war aims and peace
demands met with the promptest kind
of rejection by the allies, President
Wilson taking the lead in refusing to
consider the idea. In two sentences
he replied that Americas terms had
been repeatedly and clearly stated and
therefore no proposal for such con-
ference would be entertained by it. In
this Mr.. Wilson was heartily supported
by the entire nation, and his position
was also thoroughly approved by the
allies of the United States. Austria's
suggestion, made with the consent of
Berlin, admittedly was merely a
peace flyer" and there was little ex-
pectation in Hunland that 1t wauld re-
ceive favorable consideration.
No better reception was accorded the
German offer of peace to Belgium.
With unblushing effrontery Berlin
asked the nation the Huns have raw
ished to drop out Of the conflict, not
even suggesting that they would make
reparation for the horrible crimes they
have committed there, and making the
insdious proposal that the "F'lemish
question" should be considered and the
Flemish minority that aided the Ger
! Us iassadags should Ect Ne e ne2alized
Belgium, Of course. said moi to all
this claptrap.
-E
The political situation in Hungary
is becoming extremely critical and the
opposition to the government is grow
ing holder. It's leader, Count Karolyi,
is quoted in dispatches as declaring
that the central powers should accept
President Wilson's IA peace points as
a basis for negotiations and that the
treaties of Brest-Litovsk and Bucha-
rest should be abrogated. The pope
seems to have scented chances of
peace once again. for it was stated at
the Vatican that if diplomatic repre-
sentation should be received by him
from one of the parties he would ask
the other party If it desired to re-
ceiye such a representation.
Ia
Substantial support for President
Wilson'S peace plans was received
from the labor conference of the allied
nations in London when the interna-
tional relations committee recommend
ed that the conference subscribe to the
IA points formulated by Wilson, thus
adopting a policy of clearness and
moderation as opposed to a policy die
tated exclusively by changes on the
war map"
Ia
According to figures received up to
try under the new draft law was at
least 12,8OO,000, or 100000 above the
estimated total. OF these the govern
ment proposes to call to the colors
100000, to be added to the 100000
men already under arms. 1t is planned
to have so divisions in France before
next summer, and to finance so great
an undertaking the war department
has asked congress to provide it i'm
mediately with an additional $1,000
100000 in cash. Granting this, the adj
ministration and congress has the
choice of increasing the amount of
taxes provided by the revenue bill
from $S000,000000 to $4,000, 100000
or raising all the additional $1,000, 00O,-
600 from the sale of bonds and aban-
doning the plan of raising one-third of
the cost Of the war by taxation.
The various features of the revenue
bill were swiftly approved by the
house Of representatives, one after
another Representative Moore OF
Pennsylvania proposed tax of So q
bale on cotton, but the Southern mem.
bers rose in a body to the defense OF
the main crop of their part Of the
country.
- M-
That there is no abatement in the
stream of American soldiers being sent
over to France is shown by the state
ment that $4,000 embarked for Eu.
rope last month. OF these, 10000
were carried on British ships. One big
success by the U-boats-from the view.
point Of the chivalrous Hun--was re
ported last week. The British steamer
Galway Castle, carrying disabled sol
diers returning to South Africa and
many women and children. was tor
pedoed One hundred and eighty-nine
persons we're lost, Of whom 100 were
! civilian passengers