THE PEACE PROPOSALS

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 36

THE PEACE PROPOSALS

THE ALLIES' REPLY TO GERMANY. THE GERMANS ANNOYED. (By Cable.) Tho Allies' Note to the German Peace Note has been sent on to Germany bv* the United Stales. The Canadian papers strongly approve of the Note, and emphasise the dominions' determination not to relinquish the tight until final victory is won. Official : The Kaiser, in an order to the army and navy, -ays : " Our enemies have refused my offer of peace. They desire Germany's destruction. Before God and humanity I declare that a heavy responsibility for further terrible sacrifices rests with our enemies, who do not want tho understanding offered by me. With God's help our arms will enforce it." The Kaiser added : " In justified anger for the enemy's presumptuous malice, and with a desire to defend our holiest posses, sions and guarantee a happy future, you will become like steel." The German newspapers enthusiastically approve the Kaiser's order to his army and navy. German newspapers declare that the Allies' Note is unworthy of a rejoinder. Germany should make war to the last ounce and let Hindenburg's armies answer it. The Cologne Gazette says : " The Allies rejected peace because they intend to swamp Germany with innumerable shells in the spring. Our situation grows harder every hour, but the Entente's clangers are also increasing. Where Napoleon failed llindenburg may succeed." The Cologne Volks Zeitung forecasts a huge allied offensive in the spring, after which the Allies will be forced to negotiate for peace. The Rhenish Westphalian Gazette says: " In plain German, the Entente demands mean the handing back of all we have conquered, the payment of the enemy's war expenses, and the giving of guarantees which mean the handing over of German frontier territory. This ruthless refusal of our offer ought, if the Americans really want peace, to cause a storm of indignation against the Entente. We fear the storm will not rise." Berlin newspapers consider that the Allies' Note leaves no room for further negotiations, though Germany may more precisely define her views in a further Note to neutral Powers. The newspapers say that Germany must now answer with the sword.

Gorman newspapers are discussing the punishment of Britain. The notorious Karl Peters suggests a great expedition against Kgypt, fleets of Zeppelins to bomb the Admiralty and the House of Commons, where poisonous speeches and libels abound.

Hcrr Zimmcrmann, a colonial enthusiast, suggests the seizing of the Gold Coast, Soudan, and Nigeria, admitting that Australasia could not be held. Hcrr Maximilian Harden, in a speech at 'Berlin, pleaded for peace by agreement, lie said the enemy had miscalculated Germany's strength, and on the other hand Russia's strength was inexhaustible. Great Britain's hunger was a catchword, without foundation. France's lack of men was balanceable by British troops. All the important papers in America comment on the Note. The majority regard it as an effective reply, casting the responsibility on Germany. Representative clergymen and Christian laymen have appealed to Christian America against a premature peace until the wrongs perpetrated by Germany been righted. " We. as Christians," says the appeal, " deem that truth and righteousness must be maintained inviolate, even at the sacrifice of physical life. God Who did not withhold' His Son from the Cross, would not look with favour upon people who put the fear of pain and death, and dread of suffering, and the loss of comfort and ease above the holy claims of Righteousness, Justice, Freedom, Mercv, and Truth. - '

PRESSQENT WILSON'S NOTE. SUPPOSED POINT IX THE REPLY. The Now York Times's London correspondent cables that he learns from <iii authoritative source that the following points may be included in the Entente's statement of its concrete terms in reply to President Wilson : The relief and indemnification of Belgium. The release of the occupied portions of France and indemnification for their occupation. The freedom of Poland, Serbia, and Montenegro. The relief of Armenia from Turkish oppression, and the establishment of .1 protectorate over Armenia by Russia or a League of the Powers. The ending of the Ottoman dominion in Europe, including the possession of Constantinople by Russia. In addition, the Allies are determined to overthrow Prussian militarism. The correspondent slates that the final draft has been made of the Entente's Note, which states the ease adequately to America. It is understood that the Russian peace terms, embraced in the allied reply, include the possession of Constantinople, (lie evacuation by the enemy of occupied territory, indemnification either in land or money for property and human losses. These terms are based upon the claim that Russia refused a separate peace with Germany, and has suffered the heaviest of the Allies. Berlin and all Germany are now discussing whether President Wilson intends to remain neutral, or is only awaiting the psychological moment to enter the war. .Much of the comment is now following this new interpretation of his Note,

Thero is a lively discussion in. the German newspapers in connection with Count Andrassy's (Hungarian Opposition Leader) declaration that President Wilson is acquainted with the German peace terms. tho Lokal Anzeiger, the Vossische /eitung, and other papers declare that Germany has not vet given out her terms, but is willing to lay them before a peace conference. The United States Senate debated the postponement of Senator Hitchcock's resolution endorsing President Wilson's Note. Speakers emphasised the point that it was too important to without full discussion.

Senator Stone denied charges that a leakage of information resulted in millions of dof I a rs-profit being made on Wall street. He admitted that there was some leakage of information sent to foreign Governments. The Republicans opposed Senator Hitchcock's resolution.

Senator Lodge criticised Count BernStorff's public approval of the President's Note, which had created an impression that it was intended to help the Germans. He said that to carry the resolution would project Congress into European politics. Senator Lewis, who is a close friend of President Wilson, declared that the President's Peace Note was intended to be taken as an indication that the United States was unable to keep out of the war much longer. The Senate passed a resolution approving of President Wilson's request for the Allies' peace terms, without endorsing the terms of the note itself. Mr Roosevelt assails President Wilson's Note. He declares that the statement made therein that all the belligerents haye similar objectives is wickedly false, misleading, and profoundly immoral. Germany has trampled the Belgians under her heelj and is transporting them to serve as State slaves in Germany.: yet President Wilson dare not utter one word on behalf of Belgium: Mr Roosevelt says that the net result of the Note has been to ruin stock investors. The New York Stock Exchange has been instructed not to destroy the records of transactions during December, owing to the allegations that secret information became known to brokers two days previous to the issue of President Wilson's peace note. The New. York Times says that the inquiry into the leakage of information resulted in soiling respected names on the idlest barber-shop gossip.

PRESIDENT GROWS WISE. The State Department has authorised the statement that President Wilson is not contemplating sending another peace note. It is understood that the reason for the announcement was the apprehension by Mr Wilson that reports that another note was being prepared would affect the Entente's reply, which is expected shortly. The Spanish reply to President Wilson, describing his Note as inefficacious, has caused considerable comment. Some correspondents say that the character of the Note suggests that President Wilson addressed secret communications to neutrals in order to persuade them to support the appeal for peace. The reply has enraged the Germanop'hile press in Spain. A GERMAN IDEA. Professor Delbruck, in an article on Germany's war aim?, ears : "A durable peace is impossible if Germany draws up terms which produce suspicion and aspires to a world's hegemony. Favourable as the miliitary position is, a continuation of the war would hardly carry lis into a position where we could dictate peace." He advocates the annextion of Conrland, with its 2.000,000 Gorman peasants, and says Germany must have back her colonies and compensation for damage suffered during the blockade and from the repudiation of the Congo and Niger Conventions. Greece and other neutrals should also demand compensation. AUSTRIA WANTS PEACE. The Daily Telegraph's Milan correspondent states that the Workmen's Associa tion at Vienna on Thursday organised a great pence demonstration, which concluded with cheers for peace and imprecations against the military caste responsible for the war.

Roman Catholics held a similar meeting on Friday and carried a resolution urging the Government to formulate a peace offer such as would make its acceptance certain. A pamphlet published in Bavaria declares that the House of Hohenzollern is the main obstacle to peace. Tile Emperor and Empress of Austria have requested the Pope to intervene to secure peace. The Austrian Emperor's special courier has arrived, bearing a message appealing for the Pope's intervention for peace. The Westminster Gazette states that it is becoming evident that Austria and Hungary sincerely desire to end the war and free themselves from the German yoke. The food shortage is pressing with extreme severity on Austria and Hungary, compelling the Magyars to sidle against the Austro-Germans. Hungary resolutely refuses to export grain to Austria, although Austria declares herself starving. Austria threatens to refuse renewal of the Ausgleich economic agreement, whereon the Dual Monarchy rests. The sudden departure of the Kaiser from Vienna on the eve of the Emperor's funeral is now believed to be most significant. IMPORTANT ENEMY CONFERENCES. The Presidents and Vice-presidents of the Parliaments of enemy countries have been called to a conference at Berlin on the 19th inst. The German Imperial train has reached Constantinople to convey the Sultan to Vienna to attend a conference of Sovereigns. The Sultan will be accommodated at the Palace. The King of. Bulgaria, hekl a, lengthy

conference with the Kaiser at German Headquarters on January 3. The Archduke Frederick and General Hoetzendorfl (Chief of the Austrian Staff) lunched with the Kaiser, there being also present the Crown Prince Boris of Bulgaria, Marshal von Hindenburg, General von Ludendorl (Hindenburg's Chief of Staff), and General JekoH (Chief of the Bulgarian Staff). The Kaiser bestowed the Order of Merit on the Archduke Frederick. The English papers attach importtSice to the practically simultaneous conference of enemy Sovereigns at Vienna, and of their Foreign Ministers at Berlin, in addition to the conference of parliamentary presidents. Also, a special session of the Reichstag will be held in mid-January to discuss the Allies' refusal of the peace offer.

VIEWS OF PUBLIC MEN. Lord Selborne, in the course of a speech, said it was erroneous and mischievous to prophesy an early peace. It was a pure delusion to suppose that the enemy would accept terms favourable to us. The British Ambassador to Russia (Sir G. Buchanan), in a speech at a New Year banquet, said peace was impossible till Germany's spirit of militarism had been exorcised. Great Britain had wholeheartedly assented to Russia's aims regarding Constantinople and wished to permanently consolidate the Anglo-Russian alliance." He stated that Britain had advanced £600,000.000 to her allies for the purchase of war material, besides what she had supplied direct. Mr George Barnes (Minister of Pensions), in the course of a speech at Southwark, said that President Wilson's Note was entitled to all respect. We ought to assure Mr Wilson that we did not desire to smash Germany or anybody or anything else except militarism and the pride which sought to smash everything, so that the present war might be the last. Mr Barnes said : " We must remember that we are largely dependent upon America for munitions and other imports, but a more important reason is that America is the other half of the English-speaking people and the freest democratic country in the world. America wants to be friendly with us, and we ought to cultivate her friendship. We ought to tell Mr Wilson our terms and objects, though perhaps these should not be published." Mr Barnes added that he thought the terms would include the evacuation of Belgium and the invaded territories of small peoples, with repatriation; also, Germany's acceptance of a peace document, backed up by the moral force of the whole world. At the annual conference of the Scottish division of the Independent Labour Party, Mr Girvan deplored the non-acceptance of Germany's offer to discuss peace. He urged the withdrawal of the Labour members from the Cabinet. Surprise has been created in the United States by a Berlin News Agency report that Mr Gerard, in a speech, declared that never since the beginning of the war were the relations between Germany and the United States so cordial. He brought the olive branch from Mr Wilson. Tferr von Ctiernini compared Mr Gerard's mission to Noah's peace dove, which set out too early. M. Caillaux, a former French Premier, who is now at Naples, denies the story of his peace intrigue in Italy, in which he was believed to be representing certain " international financiers." The President of the American Rights League states that Germany has spent 27.000,000d0l in America on propaganda work.