The Oamaru Mail TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1917. AUSTRIA'S ATTITUDE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13047, 9 January 1917, Page 3

The Oamaru Mail TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1917. AUSTRIA'S ATTITUDE.

Though the Kaiser has laid claim to the recent German peace offer as his personal product, it has been made abundantly clear that the idea of/seeking, peace originated in Austria, which forced Germany to acquiesce and make the offer. That fact in some nieasiire accounts' for' the illusor*', indefinite, and insincere character of the German Peace Note transmitted through President Wilson. But that -point i 3 of no material consequence now. The offer has.been firmly rejected in terms that are- incapable of. being mis-understood. What is of moment is the present attitude olf Austria-Hungary as bearing upon the previous- action of the Dual : Monarchy. It has long been perfect-ly-plain that Austria-Hungary was completely sick of the war and would _ be glad to discover some meaus of escaping from it. So long as Emperor Francis 1 Joseph lived.that feeling was held in subjection from regard, for the aged and "much-afflicted 1 monarch. But, the old Emperor being dead and entombed, the' restraint hitherto imposed has- been relaxed;' The voice of the people is no .-longer hushed" as a mark of homage to the aged monarch, and it is now being heard through, the land. The voce is crying aloud for peace, and no official effort is heing made to place any cheek upon the free"and- full expression of the desires and will df the; people. Moreover, there has come to _the throne n king who sympathises- with the people and shares their desire for peace, and, what is of greater importance, Emperor Charles has not been slow to prove that he has a mind of his own and sufficient strength of 'will to make the impress of his- personal convictions felt. He is not going to permit himself to become a mere echo of Ministers who have brought the kingdom to the verge of ruin, or a plastic substance to be moulded to the liking of the ambitious and designing Kaiser. Francis Joseph "'as a weak Emperor, who at no time ever exhibited any force of will and who for long years had been reduced to the position of a mere machine 'for registering the will of others. He has been succeeded by an Emperor capable of asertinir himself, and who., being in sympathy with the people, is bound to have | their supoort and hearty encouragement, and therefore great changes may be looked for in Austria-Hungary. The work has already begun. Emperor Charles, we are told by cable, has resolved to "make ;i clearance of all his predecessor's confidential statesmen who are so involved with the Germans as to endanger the independence of the monarchy." The task of sweeping the Augean stable has been entered upon vigorously, and apparently will be prosecuted until it is fully accomplished. The most important point of all is the strong disposition for Austria-Hungary to break away from Germany. The alliance has been a disastrous one for Austria-Hungary, whose ultimate dis--niemberment and ruin as a first-class

Power are threatened. It is from that fate that the new Emperor would save his country. He, indeed, seems to have quarrelled with the Kaiser, for the Berne correspondent of the Daily News. writing upon what is described as information from trustworthy sources in Austria, says that "the differences between the Kaiser and King Charles have gone so far that they cannot be again reconciled." The correspondent, after mentioning that Austria forced Germany to agree to a joint offer of peace, adds that "negotiations are now preparing for still more sensational steps." An inference that may fairly be drawn from that statement'is that Austria-Hungary is contemplating an effort to secure a separate peace. Precisely how the Dual Kingdom could earn- such an intention into complete effect is not clear. Austria-Hungary I might succeed in making peace with the Allies, but it could be done only at considerable sacrifice. That sacrifice Austria-Hungary may be willing to make in order to avert a worse fate. But her difficulty lies in quite another direction. On almost, every front the armies of the Dual Monarchy, are controlled by German commanders, and are .so mixed up with the German armies that very serious consequences would be involved by any effort to withdraw them from active participation in hostilities. However, there is no present need to examine that aspect of the subject. It is sufficient in the meantime to know that in Austria-Hungary .matters are moving towards a climax, and that developments in that country are pregnant with great importance. In the meantime, Emperor Charles in an order to his army urges them to further exertion, which may be viewed as a very natural proceeding for a monarch to take, whatever he may havein contemplation.