Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-11-07 | Page 2 | Austro-Italian Parley Formal

AUSTRO-ITALiAN PARLEYJORMAL First Envoy From Foe, a Captain, Sent Back for Credentials. Included in Second Party Are Two Generals and Naval Officer. . LONDON, Nov. . (British wireless service.) The procedure adopted by the Auetriaos in thcirpplication last week tor an armistice is described by the correspondent cor-respondent ot the Times at Italian headquarters: "Toward the evening of October 29,'' be .says, "an Austrian officer was seen rooting from the enemy trenches close to Serravalle, above Ala, in the Adige valley. It became evident at once that the white flag: was genuine, and Italian officers went forward to meet him. "Tho officer, who was a captain, dc-.'brctl dc-.'brctl he had come to discuss the conditions con-ditions of an armistice. Taken to a neighboring eonuuand and questioned, be was found not to have any authoritative authori-tative papers aud was sent back with a message that a more representative and duly accredited mission should be sent if the matter was to be pursued. Pride Sacrificed. "On Wednesday evening a white flag was again hoisted and the Austrians, having evidently detcrmiued to make due sacrifice of their pride, this time more fitting personalities appeared. At tho head of a small group that approached ap-proached the Italian trenches was the Austrian general. Yon Weber, a corps commander. The party consisted of eight persons and included another general gen-eral and naval and military officer?. There were also civilians, cither diplomatic diplo-matic or government representatives and secretaries and typists. "They were treated with every courtesy cour-tesy and when General von Weber had formally stated his mission and shown that ho was the bearer of proper credentials cre-dentials he and his party were driven next day in motor cars 'to the Villa Oiusti, close to General Diaz's headquarters. head-quarters. A t. 9 o 'clock in the morning General Badoglio, the chief of 'staff, drove with an escort of cavalry to the villa and on his arrival all the troops present saluted and bugles were sounded. "Entering the villa General Badoglio found all the Austrian mission standing changed with Versailles aud during the afternoon the precise details under which an armistice would be granted were received from Sitruor Orlando, the Italian prime minister, and again in written form handed to General von Weber. During the evening one of the Austrian envoys left by motor car for Serravalle with a draft of the conditions condi-tions to communicate to the Austrian government. "The Austrian plenipotentiaries were very depressed and did not show themselves them-selves outside the villa nor walk in its ample gardens. 7 1 in a line in the drawing-room awaiting him. "General von Weber was in full uniform, uni-form, wearing the stars and- ribbons of his oo'ers. General Badoglio saluted him and Upon seating himself asked the Austrian . general his errand. General von Weber replied that he had come to ask the conditions upon which an armistice armi-stice would be granted. General Hadoglio answered that within an hour he would let him know the general lines of such an armistice contained in a written message. "He then Left the room and the written writ-ten message in question was at once sent to the villa. . 1 "Meanwhile, telegrams were ox-