Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-10-30
WILSON MAY PUT
AUSTRIAN PLEA
BEFORE ALLIES
Military Officials Believe Dual
Empires Surrender Would
Bring World Wars End
Within Sight.
By Associated Press.

impression here tonight that Aus
tria's renewal appeal to President
Wilson, for an immediate armistice
and peace, would be transmitted to
the allied governments before
which Getmany's request has been
placed.
In some quarters, however. there
was disposition to accord different
treatment to the Austrian plea, be-
cause of the complex problems arts,
ing from the new conditions that
apparently have developed there
! since the president replied to Aus
tria's original request.
The official text of the Austrian
note was delivered to Secretary
Lansing today by the Swedish min
lister soon after the regular Tuesday
] meeting of the cabinet, at which it
was understood the unofficial YER
sion as transmitted by The Asso-
Mated Press from Basel, Switzer-
land, was given consideration. If
any definite conclusion was reached
the fact was not revealed, officials
stating they could not indicate what
disposition would be made of the
note in advance of careful study
Of the official version.
Must Show Responsibility.
I Those adhering to the opinion
that different treatment should be
accorded to the Austrian request
than was given the plea of the Ger
man government, pointed to cable
dispatches today reporteding the
establishment of the independent
state of Hungary; of the recogni-
ton by that state of the independ
ence of the Czecho-Slovak and
Jugo-Slax provinces and also of
4 German-Austria as suggesting the
introduction Of complex factors into
the problem of settling with the
dual empire. Even if each of the
many nationalities that make up
that empire becomes independent
before peace is arranged, it was said
they still must bear their individual,
shares of the responsibility for the
acts committed by the empire.
Logically each might have to sue
for separate peace.
However, it is believed that the
American government will not be
diverted from the pursuit of its main
object by the consideration of these
individual uprisings in Austria-Hun-
gary. 1t probably will follow con-
sistently the course pursued in deal
ing with Germany, and insist on
treating first the proposition for an
arinistice, which it regards as pure
ly military question, leaving to the
final peace conference the adjust
ment of the claims to independent
existence of the various oppressed
nationalities in Austria Hungary.
Ii that course is followed, then
not only the remnant of the dual
empire over which Emperor Charles
still holds sway. but the separatist
state of Hungary and even Bohe-
mia and the Jugo-Slavs sections,
must accept the terms to be laid
down by the supreme military coun-
Gil at Versailles. This, many OBJ
servers said, probably would involve
disarmament, rehabilitation, open
ing of the Austro-H Hungarian rail-
way to the entente allies and guar
antees in the shape of occupied fort
resses to insure the safety Of the
entente armies against treacherous
attacks in the rear if they advanced
to strike Germany from the south.
Capitulation Offered.
Vienna's plea for an armistice is
interpreted quite generally in mill
tary circles here as an offer to cap
itulate as completely as did Bulga-
ria. Military officials, both allied
and American, believe the complete
elimination of Austria Hungary as a
belligerent would bring the world
war within sight of an end.
While there is doubt that it would
be practical to attack Germany from
the south, the best informed entente
/ officers on duty here firmly believe
that Germany would not attempt to
/ fight on with Austria out of the
n war. The greatest fear the Ger
lmans have they say, is of invasion
Aof German soil and in the end, they
believe, Germany will capitulate
l rather than face that contingency.
Assessing the probable results of
Austrian surrender, officers pointed
out that it would release the Italian
armies for operations elsewhere.
Unless Turkey has also dropped out
of the fight by that time it would
seem logical, it was said, to expect
that these forces would be turned
at once to pressing the campaign
against Constantinople. With Tur-
key also tout, the two Italian divi-
sions now in France could be quick
" supplemented and another great
army erected on that front to crush
the wavering German lines.
One result of Austrian capitula-
ton which cannot be gagged reli-
ably in advance is the situation of
the 80 or more German divisions in
/ Russia. The German general staff is
known to have reduced the German
forcesin Russia to what was regard
ed as the minimum of safety when
the spring drive in France was pre-
pared. Recently, however, it has
been learned that some of the di-
visions left there had been brought
hastsy & the western line and sew
eral were hurried to the Danube
front.
Lacking Austrian help in Russia,
the situation of the German forces
there would appear to be perilous
and officers say it would become
vitality necessary that they be so
disposed as to rest upon the Russo
German frontier. That would mean
! great curtailment of Russian ter
ritory they could police and COM