New-York tribune., 1918-11-10

of peace will, in his judgment. de-
pend upon the dciiniteness and the
satisfactory character of the guaran-
tees which can be given in this fun
damental matter. 1t is indispensable
that the governments associated
against Germany should know beyond
a peradvcnture with whom they are
dealing"
Austrians Asks Peace
Meanwhile, on October Z, note had
been received from Austria-Hungary
through the Swedish Legation at
Washington, in which Austria Hungary
offered to conclude an armistice "on
every front On land, at sea and in the
air, and to enter Immediately upon
negotiations for a peace for which the
fourteen points in the message of
President Wilson to Congress of JAN
uary s, 1918, and the four points con-
tanned in President Wilson's address
Of February IL, 1918, should serve as
points declared by President Wilson
in his address of September 81, 1918,
Will also be taken into account"
The reply to this note was delayed
until October 49, when the Austro-
Hungarian government was informed
that the President Cannot entertain
the present suggestion Of that govern
ment because of certain events of ut
most importance, which, occurring
since the delivery Of his address Of
the Sth of January last, have nee
sponsiblity of the government Of the
United States.
among the fourteen terms of
peace which the President formu-
lated at that time, occurred the fol-
lowing:
"X.-The peoples of Austria Hun
gary, whose place among the nations
we wish to see safeguarded and as
sured, should be accorded the freest
opportunity of autonomous develop
ment.
"Since that sentence was written
and uttered to the Congress of the
United States, the government of
the United States has recognized
that a state Of belligerency exists
between the Czecho-Slovaks and the
German and Austro- Hungarian en-
pires and that the Czecho- -Slovak Ma
tional Council is de facto belliger-
ent government clothed with proper
authority to direct the military and
political affairs of the Czecho-
Slovaks. 1t has also recognized in
the fullest manner the justice Of the
nationalistic aspirations of the Jugo-
Slavs for freedom.
"Thc President is. therefore. no
longer at liberty to accept the mere
autonomy of these peoples as
basis of peace. but is obliged to in
sist that they, and not he, shall be
the Judges of what action on the part
Of the Austro- Hungarian government
viii satisfy their aspirations and
their conception of their rights and
destiny as members of the family of
nations"
The italian armies on the west and
tne Allied armies on the cast con-
tinued to pound the Austrian armies
into a state of collapse, while the peo-
pie OF the empire revolted and Ger
many came forward with another note
on October 21.
Processes. People Rule.
This note adopted as German the
proposition that the terms of the armis-
tice should be lett to the military ad-
vsers protested against the charge
that Germany had been ,nhumane in
.sor conduct of the war, and said:
''Aa & fundamental condition FOR
pence the President prescribes the
destruction OF every arbitrary power
that can separately, secretly and OF
rs own single choice disturb the
peace Of the world To this the Ger
man government replies:
''Hitherto the representation Of the
people in the German Empire has
not been endowed with an influence
on The formation OF ths government
"rhe constitution did not provide
for a concurrence OF representation
and war. These conditions have just
,o.,r UNDERGONE a fundamental
change. new government has
been formed in complete accordance
NTH the wishes (principle?) of the
representation Of the people basel
on equal universal, secret, direct
franchise.
''The leaders of the great parties
Of the hstag are members OF
this government. In the future. no
government can take or continue
in Office without possessing the con-
tidence of majority OF the
Rcichstag.
"Thc responsibility of the Chan
celor Of the empire to the represen
tation of the people is being legally
developed and safcguarded. The
! first act OF the new government has
been to lay before the Reicnstag a
bill to alter the constitution of the
empire, 30 that the consent of the
! representation VI Clie PeOplt Is re-
| CURED for decisions on war and
! peace.
"The pernanence Of the new sys-
| tenn is. however, guaranteed not only
by constitutional safeguards, but
also bv the unshakable determine
ton of the German people, whose
vast majority stand behind these re-
forms and demand their energetic
continuance.
"The question of the President,
i. G.. with whom he and the govern
ments associated against Germany
are dealing, is therefore answered in
a clear, unquivocal manner by the
statement that the offer of peace and
an armisticc has come from govern
ment which is free from any arbi-
trary and ire sponsible influence and