The _pacifists_ of the Allied nations who have, like the Nationalist leader and his henchmen in the Province of Quebec, clamoured for peace by compromise, must have had a few hours of delightful enjoyment after reading Austria's communication. It is evidently the echo of their oft repeated views and has been carefully drafted to stir them to further exertions in favour of a settlement which will gratify their ill disguised Teutonic sympathies. Austria's document is a plea intended to be strong for peace by negotiations irrespective of the war situation and its probable result. This is the kind of peace dear to the heart of the Nationalist leader and his friends. The newspaper "_Le Devoir_" is their daily organ in Montreal. A Sunday paper called "_Le Nationaliste_" is the weekly edition of the daily organ. By what mysterious inspiration was "_Le Nationaliste_" able to forestall the publication of the Austrian peace document by an article in its issue of Sunday, the 13th of August, which summarizes the leading reasons given by the Government of Vienna to induce the Allied Governments to agree "_to a confidential and unbinding discussion_" of the conditions of peace, "_at a neutral meeting place_?" Since the official publication of the document, our Nationalists, who had been subdued by the Order-in-Council tightening the censure of disloyal writings and speaking, and reduced to the necessity of merely whispering their fond hopes of an early peace which would relieve the Central Empires, Turkey and Bulgaria from the deserved chastisement of their crimes, are getting again more outspoken in the expression of their views and of their Teutonic proclivities. The street corner propaganda is being resumed with more discreet vigour than formerly when loud talk was considered safe. New efforts, better guarded against a compromising responsibility, to instil the virus in the body politic, are tried over again. They creep in a few newspapers well known for their hardly disguised hostility to the cause of the Allies and to the participation of Canada to its defence. All this under the hypocritical cover of a longing for the restoration of peace and the cessation of the sacrifices the country is still making for the victory for which all loyal British subjects are praying and doing their best to secure. Germany has prudently--cowardly is the more proper word--remained behind, satisfied, for the time being, to play the part of prompter to her vassal, Austria. But, however desirous of remaining free to repudiate publicly, if considered more advisable, Austria's move, she could not help showing her hand. She betrayed herself by the peace offer she has had the outrageous audacity to make to Belgium she has barbarously crucified. And what are the terms of this astonishing proposal? I will mention only two of them. First: "THAT BELGIUM SHALL REMAIN NEUTRAL UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR."