The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-09-23
KAISER EVAOES QUESTION.
SAYS UNITED STATES SIIOJTn
SOUND OTHER NATIONS ON
PEACE QUESTION.
Germany NOncOmmittal in Reply as
10 whether or not They Will Con-
slider Peace PrOpOsitiOn-ChanccII
Makes statement for Ills Country.

Washington, Sept. 17.--Gcrmany
has sugg' sted. informally, that the
United Sttaes should undertake to
elicit from Great britain, France
and ltussia u statement of terms un-
Ger Which the allies would make
peace.
The suggestion was made bv In
peral Chancellor Won Bethmanp
Ho!lNeG TO Ambassador Gerard, at
Leriln, as result Of an inquiry sent
by the American government to learn
whether Emperor William desired to
discuss peace as Count Won Bcrnstorff,
the German ambassador, and Oscar
.'tiaus recently had reported.
/ Emperor William himself made no
reply. nor did the imperial chancCl-
lor Indicate whether he spoke on be-
half OF his monarch. Ambassador
Gerard cablcd President Wilson the
. Chanccllor's remarks from rccOllec-
'ion which substantially were IS
follows:
'GCrmany appreciated the American
governments interests and olfcr uf
services in trying to make peace.
Germany had war forced on her.
Even ii she defeats Franco, she must
vanquish Great Britain and Russia
also, as all three have agreed not tO
make Tcace, except by common con-
sent. England has announced that
she intends to fight to the limit Of her
endurance. In view Of that uetermi-
nation, the United States ought to
get peace proposals from the allies
Germany could accept only lasting
peace, one that would make her pco-
pie secure against future attacks. To
accept mediation now would he inter-
pIcted by the allies as Il sign of weak
ness and also would be misunderstood
by the German people, who, having
made great sacrifices, had the right
to demand guarantees of security"
n Ambassadors Gerard ,Nlded to this
only the brief comment that he him.
self thought the way might possibly
hc opened to mediation. President
Wilson. however did not regard the
message as bringing anything tangi-
bic. lie referred to the chancellor's
conversation as non-Committal. The
-, 4
Of Tie message, waiting To hear from
Ambassador Gerard whether anything
Of u more formal character could BE-
obtained.
Gcrnany's position is that she will
give ncr opinion on peace terms when
sEc has received Il definite statement
from the allies Of their PROPOSALS. The
statement that Germany had war
forced on her as we'll as .he declara-
ton that she wanted lasting peace
is almost identical with remarks Sir
Edward Grey made to Ambassador
Page in London last week.
The general belief tonight was that
the president. after waiting a few
days for more information from Ber-
lin, probably would instruct the Am
crican ambassador ut London, Par
is and PctrOgrad to communicate
what the imperial German chanccl-
lor had said to Ambassador Gerard.
1t was believed the Ambassador would
be asked to rcitcrate the wishes Of the
American government to be Of service
in bringing about peace
piplomatists were disposed to be-
licNc that through such informal con-
VersatiOnS something definite might
) lie Obtained as 4 working basis. If
u concord Of opinion for discussion
of pcac" terms were reached prcsi-
dent Wilson then would cndeavor to
ol tain an acceptance by all bclligcr-
entS of the original tender of good
Offices. This would not mean a ces-
Satlon or hoStilitics, unless the me-
dating power specifically made it Il
cr"ditiOn Of mediation ard all be-
would serve merely as Il truce while
peace was discussed
+, Various reports were current today
that Germany had named several
conditions under which she would
mike peace; that she had refused
proposals to alter the territorial stat
lis of her Empire and possessions.
nhd would not c"dC amy territory or
diSmcmhcr her fleet. but il WAS said
authoritatiNCly tiat nothing ui this
character wa" contained in any Of tie
MESSAGES from iicrlm 60 the Amcri-
can government.
The most generous offer made vet
under the "Buy Il Bale of Cotton'