Show WILSON REJECTS AUSTRIA'S S OFFER MUST SATISFY ASPIRATIONS OF CZECHS AND SLOVAKS BEFORE I U. U S. S WILL 1 DISCUSS TERMS I President Insists That Oppressed Peo Peo- II I t pie pic of Dual Empire Shall Be Judges f of What Action of Government Will Satisfy Their Aspirations I I Washington President Wilson on on October 10 13 answered Hun Austria I gar gary's garys s pica plea for peace with the reply that conditions ons are so altered since 1 January 8 S that lie he cannot now accept their thell autonomy antonom plan as us a n basis basi of peace Instead he Insisted l that the oppressed oppressed op op- pressed peoples of the dual empire shall be the jud judges es of what hat action on the part of the Hungarian Austro gov ovI gov- ov- ov I will satisfy their thell aspirations In substance it was a refusal to do any nn peace business with Austria The Thc note us as transmitted from Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- tary of State Lansing to the Swedish Swe minister said said I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your our note of the 7 th h In which you ou transmit a communication com com- from the Imperial a and UtI royal government of Hungary Austria to the president I am now Instructed b by the pre pres l- l dent to request you 1 0 to be good enough through to to your our government go convey the Imperial and ro royal al government the I I following reply The president ent deems It his duty to say to the Austro Austro government government gov gov- that he cannot entertain the present suggestions g. g of that government government government govern govern- ment because of certain events events of utmost utmost utmost ut ut- most Importance which occurring since the delivery delhery of f his address addre s of the of January last have necessarily mn altered the attitude and responsibility 1 of off f the t go government of the United States I Among Am l the the fourteen terms term of peace which the president dent formulated l nt at t that time occurred the following Ten Tie Ten T Te TilE e peoples of l. l Austria Austria- H Hungary who whose e place among the nations nations na nu- e see see safeguarded led mill and I assured should shoud be accorded accord ll the Ise freest opportunity of f lOu autonomous development develop ment Since that sentence was written nn and J. J uttered to the congress t of the time States Stites the government of the United St States has hus recognized that a 1 astae I stale stae of belligerency exists between the Slovaks and the German and andAu A Au Hungarian tro empires en Ind ld that council national the the- Slovaks Slovaks' is a n de le facto belll belligerent government clothed with proper authority to direct the the-military the military and political affairs of the ks Czecho It has also recognized in the fullest fullest fullest full full- est manner the justi justice e of the nationalistic nationalistic national national- aspirations of the Slavs Jugo-Slavs for freedom T The lie president Is therefore no longer at liberty to accept u a mere autonomy of these peoples as a l basis of peace but is obliged ed to insist that the they and not he be shall be he the judges judg-es of what action on the part of or the Austro- Austro Hungarian government will their aspirations and their conception I of their rights and destiny as members mem mem- bers hers of the family of nations I |