The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-09-06
AUSTRIA MUST
PAY PENALTY
Premier Clemenceau Sends Ex-
plicit Reply to the Aus
trian Note
NO SPECIAL TREATMENT
ALLOWED THAT NATION
NO SPECIAL TREATMENT
Austria Brought on the War
and No Evasion of Respon-
sibility is Possible

Paris. Sept. 2 eByEthe. .@Asso sociated
Press) Karl Renner,
head Of the Austrian peace delega-
ton, left tonight for Vienna with the
peace treaty which was handed to
the Austriahs today.
He indicated that he would prob
ably ask for an extension Of time.
as the Austrian general assembly
would meet on Saturday and Sunday
to discuss the terms. The supreme
council, it is announced, will extend
the time, if Austria so requests.
The note transmitting the allied
reply to the observations of the Aus
trian delegation N the conditions Of
peace, addressed to Karl Renner. and
signed by VI. Clemenceau. as presi-
dent Of the council follows:
Draft Of the covering letter:
q. The allied and associated pow
ers have given most careful consider
alton to the observations of the Aus
trian delegation on the draft treaty
Of peace. The reply of the Austrian
delegation objects to the draft treaty
on the ground that in view Of the
monarchy. Austria ought not to be
treated as an enemy State at all and
that in consequence, she ought not
to be made in any special way inheri-
ter Of responsibilities in regard to
reparation, to which the Austro- Hun
garian monarchy would undoubtedly
be liable, did it still exist.
..As these observations point to a
fundamental misconcept;on Of the re-
tria, the allied and associated pow
ers feel it necessary to state as
briefly as may be the principles which
they consider must be applied to the
settlement of the late war so far as
Austria is concerned. The people Of
Austria, together with their neigh.
bors, the people Of Hungary. bear in
a peculiar degree responsibility for
the calamities which nave befalien
Europe during the last five years.
The war was precipitated by an
ultimatum presented to Serbia by the
government at Vienna and requiring
acceptance within forty-eight hours
of series Of demands which
amounted to the destruction of the
independence OF neighboring SOW
ereign State The royal government
of Serbia accepted within the pre-
scribed time all the demands except
those which involved the virtual sur
render of its independence,
yet the then ustro-Hungarian
government refusing ali offers of
conference of conciliation on the Ea-
sis Of that reply. Immediately open
ed hostilities against Serbia, thereby
deliberately setting light to a train.
which led directly to a universal war.
"It is now eviden that this ultima
tum was no more than an lnsincere
excuse for beginning war for Whlch
the late autocratic government at
Vienna in close association with the
rulers Of Germany, had long prepar-
cd and for which it considered the
time had arrived. The presence OF
Austrian guns at the siege of LieSe
and Narnur is further proof, if proof
were required, of the intimate asso-
citation of the government Of Vienna
with the government Of Berlin in its
plot against public law and the lib
critics of Europe"
'.The Austrian delegation appear to
think that responsibility for these
acts rested solely on the Hapsbure
dynasty and its satellites: and that by
reason of the dissolution of that mon
archy through the victory of the al
lies the people Of Austria can escape
responsibility for the deeds Of the
which was their own
and which had its home
in their capital.
Had the people of Austria in the
years preceding endeavored to curb
the militarist and domineering spirit
by which the government of the
Hapsburg monarchy was animated;
had they made any effective protest !
against the waE, or refused to assist I
or support their rulers in rosecut-
ing il. some attention might now be
paid to this plea. but the fact that
the war was acclaimed on its out
break in Vienna. that the people OF
Austria were it's ardent supporters
rom start to finish and that they did
nothing to diSaSSociate themselves
rom the policy of their government
md it's allies until they had been de-
'eated in the field makes it clear that
according to any canon Of justice they
must be held to bear their full meas
,ra of roSponSihiljtv for Cfimei