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U S NOTE TO AUSTRIA Washington October 19 The text of the United States answer to Austrias peace note handed to the Swedish minister today follows Sjr i have the honor to acknowledge the re ¬ ceipt of your note of the 7th inst in which you transmit a communication of the imperial and royal government of Austria Hnngary to the President I am instructed by the President to request you to be good enough through your government to convey to the imperial and royal government the following reply replyThe The President deems it his duty to say to the AustroHuiigarian government that he cannot en ¬ tertain the present suggestions of that government because of certain events of utmost importance which occurring since the delivery of his address of the 8th of January last have necessarily altered the attitude and responsibility of the government of the United States Among the fourteen terms of peace which the President formulated at that time occurred the following 4X The peoples of AustroHnngary whose place among the nations we wish to see safeguarded and assured should be accorded the freest oppor ¬ tunity of autonomous development developmentSince Since that sentence was written arid uttered to the Congress of the United States the government of the United States has recognized that a state of belligerency exists between the CzechoSIovaks and the German and AustroHungarian empires and that the CzechoSlovak national council is a de facto belligerent government clothed with proper authority to direct the military and political affairs of the CzechoSIovaks It has also recognized in the fullest manner the justice of the nationalistic aspirations of the Jugoslavs for freedom The President is therefore no longer at liberty to accept the mere autonomy of these people as a basis of peace but is obliged to insist that they and not he shall be the judges of what action on the part of the AustroHungarian government will satisfy their aspirations and their conception of their rights and destiny as members of the family of nations nationsAccept Accept sir the renewed assurances of my highest highestconsideration consideration considerationROBERT ROBERT LANSING
