Life — September 26, 1918 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1915 “+ Whale ther. ts Lift there's Hope No. 1874 Published by LIFE PUBI HING COMPANY A. Mutire, Sec’y and Treas 17 West ‘Thirty-first Street, New York English Offices, Rolls House, Breanis Bligs., London, E. C. AFTER al- ost every body else in the United States had re- plied to the Austrian peace suggestion, the President also replied to it. He it until he came to Mr. could not answer had _re- ceived it, but once it Lansing the response was im The suggestion was that some good fel- lows from the belligerents. should get together quictly and vately, without stoppage of anyth that is going on, and talk things over, x could not be done It took the form of to the belligerent a ediate, ious and see if somethi to stop the war. a note ds neutral powers, The Austrian government had hopes that if its suggestion should he accepted “mountains of old misunder- standings might he removed and many new things perceived, streams of pent- up human kindness would be released, and much that nistic would disappear” and peace might presently ensue, The po} as represented by is an ulation of the United States pers, Con rticulate news} gressmen, elders and ter leaders was pretty nearly a unit against accepting the proposal. Strange to say, the New York Zines thought it a nice that ought to he tried out, but the Times was among the leading papers of the country in that sentiment. If Mr. Wilson had concluded that this was a good time to purr a little to Austria, he was in a muc able position to do it, with his whole country hot to fight the war out, than if it were aching impatiently for an end of war. It is quite possible that Austria is so dead tired of the war that her government wants peace at idea lone more favor- almost any price short of annihilation of the Hapsburg dynasty. But Ger- many is not beaten yet, and is merely willing, we must suppose, to make a diversion with talk, and dull the edge of military proceedings while sh catches her breath. Her newspapers, it seems, affected loud displeasure with the Austrian effort, as though to imply that though Germany, to oblige Aus- tria, might send delegates to a peace bee, she was still confident of holding her own, and the bulk of her stealings, ary means, As far as she is con- cerned, we must think of the concur- rence of her government in the Aus- trian suggestion as a mere piece of y strategy. hym milit, WILSON, when it comes ¢ M*. discourse, usually knows what to And he is not pers, nor slow to But he say and says it well. garrulous in State p answer when appealed to. never before was quite so prompt or quite so brief as in his answer to Aus Our government, he said, had edly the terms on which it tria stated repe: would consider peace, and would not confer on a matter on which its posi- tion and purpose were so plain. The advantage of an answer so com- plete and compact is that it cnables the mind to make an immediate escay from thoughts of conference hack to thoughts of war and war news. The Austrian government. thrust out a thought salient. In five lines of print Mr. Wilson punctured and emptied it Nobody need talk about it any more. Not even Mr. Lodge had time to te! in detail what Mr. Wilson ought to Before instructions could he had done it. Presumably Mr. Wilson. spoke only for the United States, but for all the Allies. He did not say so, and he has not confided to us with wh conferred, if with anyone. But be: doubt he spoke the minds of all ¢ members of the League to Beat H and gave to that as yet unorganize company the same advantage of a prompt decision and a swift blow that comes nowadays in the war from hay- ing Marshal Foch for boss commander. reach How very far the Austrian minis ter is from comprehending tl facts of world sentiment when, speak ing not only for Austria, but for Ge » too, he talks of conferen which mountains of misunderstandin would be removed and streams of pent up human kindness The pent-up kindness may flow—probabl will released! to a beaten enemy, as it does t wounded enemies and prisoners of war, but never to a Germany crusted with zorged with spoils, Aus- tria is unfortunate in her yoke-fellow Ii by being dissolved back into her px litical elements she can get rid of Ger crime and many, it will be a cheap release, a ably there is no other way out fc Hungary wants peace and seem to have lost all interest in the war. When she is a prol her. ¢ to reach for it on her own hook it may be she will get it, but the place wh-re that opportunity is be ing won for her is on the Western front. Things continue to go well there There is no let up, and thus far no re. verse. The first exploit of the First in army—the cleaning up of the Mihiel salient—turned out to be a comparatively easy job. But it admirably done, so all reports say. And i was. skilfully planned and and through with a rush several days soon- er than the Germans expected. Metz on the map looks like a nice place to capture, and the iron country bout is both desirable for France was it was easy because it executed, carried