The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-10-22
PEACE TALK IN NEGERMANY
WHILE GREAT WAR RACES
OFFICIAL PREDICTS END BY BRIT
ISH CONCESSIONS IN SPRING.
Behind Official Curtains Whispers Of
Settlement Come Into Being-Fail-
ure in DardaneIles Factor.


probably snail have peace" This re-
mark by one Of the most prominent
state officials to the Associate Press
correspondent may be taken as indi-
cative of the view on the probable du-
ration of the war held in German gov
ernment quarters, at any rate in GER
tain influential circles Of the govern
ment. The person quoted occupies
position which lends weight in his
opinion on this subject and the remark
was made incidentally during a dis
cussion of certain future possibilities
in the Balkan situation.
Pressed to give reason for the
opinion, the official said that he based
his expectations largely on "the sound
business sense of the British" which
would lead them to move for peace
as soon as they saw nothing was to
be gained by continuing the war.
eve now hold in the West" he con-
tinued, "a strong fortified line inclos-
ing a great enclosure of French and
Belgian territory. We soon snail have a
similar line fortified in the East. Be-
hind the two lines we sit tight and
defy all efforts of our enemies to break
through.
Looks For Yielding.
81 have much confidence in the busi-
ness sense of the British and think
that when once they have found the
Dardanelles can not be forced this will
lead them to take steps in the direction
of peace"
The correspondent suggested thar
business men usually are unwilling to
make contract wherein all the ad-
vantages of conditions are on the
other side and that it was customary
in business circles to have some def
mite idea of terms before sitting down
to draw up a contract. He asked
whether this business" would not be
facilitated if the opponents had some
definite information as to the maxi
mum terms on which Germany would
be ready to discuss peace conditions.
The official replied that for Germany
TO make a statement at this time as
to the peace terms might be construed
as a confession of weakness, and he
preferred to await overtures from the
other side.
Since the conversation the Associ-
ated Press correspondent has heard
similar remarks from other officials.
The vigor with which the various po-
plitical groups and big industrial and
commercial and agricultural organiza-
tons are pursuing the discussion OF
tabooed topics of the "aims of the
war" which, although public discus
sion of it in the press is forbidden, is
the absorbing topic in German society,
indicates, too, that the government Is
giving serious considerations to the
subject of peace.
Behind the Curtain.
This discussion and the oracular VI
terances of DR.. Karl Helhferich, secre-
tary of the German imperial treasury;
Sir Edward Grey, British foreign sec
retary, and other important person.
ages on possible and impossible con-
ditions of peace give color to the sup
position that something may be going
on behind the curtain. Such sound
ing out" if undertaken at the in
stance of persons in authority, un-
doubtedly has been done informally,
and in such manner as to permit OF
a disavowal should circumstances re-
quire.
No statement whatever as to Ger
many's peace condition can be OBJ
tanned nor is it even certain the gov
ernment has reached any formal de-
cfsion as to the extent OF "guaran-
tees" for the future security of Gen.
many to which the emperor and the
chancellor have referred repeatedly in
public utterances. Should it be per-
mitted, however, to hazard a guess,
based solely on personal observation
and on education and remarks from
time to time in official circles, the AS
sociated Press correspondent would
say Germany's terms at present IN
view include neither the absorption OF
BELGIUM nor other wholesale annext-
tons of an extent demanded by the
"blue sky" enthusiasts who seem ben
on adding to Germany virtually every