THE PEACE PROPOSALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16889, 29 December 1916, Page 5

THE PEACE PROPOSALS

ALLEGED NOTE FROM SWEDEN. Router's Telegrams. WASHINGTON, December 27. Official: Sweden Las addressed a peace appeal to belligerents and neutrals. LONDON, December 27. The report that Britain had received a Swedish Peace Note is erroneous, but it is believed that a Note from Sweden is imminent. MORE REBUFFS FOR AMERICA. RUSSIA SPEAKS OUT. A NATIONAL AFFRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.' NEW YORK, December 27. The New York World obtained an interview with the President of the Duma, M. Rodzianko, regarding the peace Note, and he said : " Speaking for a body of the Russian people, lean say that to talk peace ■when the Allies are finally prepared adequately to meet Germany only offends us. We can begin to talk peace only when Germany is beaten to her knees." JAPAN WITH THE ALLIES. TOKIO, December 27. Japan notifies her entire adhesion to all the Allies' decisions regarding the German, American, and Swiss Notes. PRESIDENT WILSON SURPRISED. CHAGRINED AND DISAPPOINTED. NEW YORK, December 27. The New York Times Washington correspondent states that Germany's reply is most disappointing, and the United States officials regard it as most unsatisfactory and evasive, greater frankness having been expected. The New York Sun's Washington correspondent says that the reply is a shock to the Administration, and President Wilson is chagrined and disappointed. AMERICAN PRESS OPINION. "A DELIBERATE REBUFF." The Times, LONDON, December 27. American opinion regards the German reply as a deliberate rebuff to President Wilson, unless he has received confidential information in the meanwhile. The pruts expresses surprise at the Allies' and the British Empire's rejection of President Wilson's offer, and the papers are apologetically endeavouring to explain the unfortunate phrasing of the Note as an academic effort to make the Note completely colourless. Thus, for instance, the New York Times asserts that the President's Note was really addressed to Germany, in order to compel her to make disclosure as to why she broke the peace, because the continuance of war threatened to draw in America. GERMANY'S PROMPTNESS. "PEACE AT ALL COSTS." AMSTERDAM, December 27. Authoritative circles in Holland regard Germany's promptness in replying to President Wilson as an indication of urgency in escaping overwhelming internal difficulties and securing peace at all costs while the military situation is favourable to her. BRITISH BLOCKADE EFFECTIVE. EARLY PEACE NECESSARY.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK, December 27. The New York Times states tliat the British blockade is doing its work. Peace Germany must have, and soor. That is the obvious meaning of her surprisingly prompt reply. If her peace need is as dire as it seems, she will presently make a different proposal. On any other theory her answer might be regarded as insincere. The New York World states that Germany's answer completely evades the issue, and in the light of her reply it is impossible to believe that there was honest sincerity of purpose at the back of her original peace THE VOR WARTS'S OPINION. FRENCH FANATICISM. Reuter's Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, December 27. Vorwarts, referring to the French Senate's resolution on December 24—i.e., that France cannot make peace with enemies occupying her territory, says : " This conception of honour amounts to fanaticism. If the French believe it is possible forcibly to drive the Germans from French soil, they may calculate on the slaughter of their entire male population. France will never win. a more favourable peace than now."