Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-30
Suggestion Is Made to European
Diplomats That Deadlock
Has Been Reached.
FALLS UPON DEAF EARS
5eliserents Not Likely to Listen to
Mediation Now-Want This
TO Be Last War;

not be learned. 1t is believed how
/ ever. that he mas confined his activity
! TO representations that a deadlock has
/ been reached that, if the war contin
ues it viii result in the useless sacri
/ fee Of hundreds OF thousands OF
men and that terrific losses can be
avoided through negotiations.
In other words what the president
has done Rnd is doing in the way OF
preparation. calling attention to the
actual situation and of urging that diff
dculties in the way of victory by eth
er side be considered. These represen-
tations. II they NAV be called such.
will produce no results. None OF the
belligerents viii listen 70 mediation.
Great Britain will consider peace
only If Germany viii agree to evac-
uate Belgium and compensate that
country for the losses it has suffered
with an indemnity for the Belgians
killed and wounded France will re
quire not only evacuation OF its terri
tory but the cession of Alsace and
Lorraine. Russia, as a result of the
entrance o. Turkey into the war. has
its eyes firmly fixed on CONSTANT
nople and seeks reconstructed Poland
under the suzerainty of the car.
Germany Wants Colonies.
Germany is willing to exchange Bel
gium snd northern France for colon
les Austria Hungary desires merely
10 retain the territory it had prior TO
the war and reestablish its prestige
by the temporary occupation OF Bel
oF "a
The Balkan nation intends TO take
Bosnia and Herzegovina as the price
of its acceptance of a peace treaty.
All these claims are trreconcilable
and cannot be adjusted by negotia-
tions. Before the several nations will
consent TO discuss them, more blood
must be split. Something in the way
OF decisive vietozy for one side or
the other must take place. In other
words. when peace is made it must be
a durable peace.
This is the Indispensable requisite
of both England and Germany. Mere
~ TO have a truce while both coun-
tries engage in another race of arma-
ments would be meaningless Now
that the war is on II is regarded as
10 continue il until final
settlement can be made Sir Edward
Grey the British foreign minister. de
sires that when the peace congress
meets Il shall consider a project to
make future wars impossible. How
this is 10 be done he does not know,
but the mere fact that ne has such an !
idea in mind indicates that. so far as
he and the British government are /
what Is wanted is a termi- /
nation OF the war upon conditions /
which will make its recurrence prac- /
.ically ont of the question.
German officials also talk of a last
ng peace. but they insist this would
be impossible if Germany were to SUI
'er the loss of an inch of its territory
II to be compelled to disarm unless all
nations did so on land and sea. In
Iced. Germany is absolutely confident
# success and believes the war viii
De fought entirely on alien soil.
Great Care Needed.
Any peace suggestion emanating
rom the United States must be made
With the greatest care. There is no
eason to believe that President vii
on realizes this fact. The truth of
he matter is that any move made by
his country is apt TO be looked upon
With suspicion. At once the several
ations look behind the proposal, al
hough it may have been made with
Ut any arriere pensee for the pur-
ose of ascertaining if one side or the
ther has suggested it in order 70 get
loan or gain some other advantage.
When former Ambassador Straus.
citing unoffcially, suggested peace to
secretary Bryan, and il was taken up
18th the several ambassadors. it was
uickIv disclosed that it had been in
pired by the German ambassador and
lat the British discovered that finan- :
aI operations also were involved
hese negotiations fell of their own
eight. :
Great Britain would not care TO con- 7
der peace at this time. because IN \
few weeks it VIII have a tremendous y
-my in France The French also are
llling out their reserves. When a
is in readiness by May the
i've against Germany will begin. The
ermans. on their part. claim not to
, disturbed by the preparations OF
e English and the French. They
I'VE 1000. 900 men now on the fight
< lines and they have 100000 in
serve. Not only are they confident
their ability to hold their present n
but they expect to make y
Iother advance on Paris and Calais fl
Id they believe their movement viii T
I'VE success. n
Russia is also preparing for the n
ring campaign. the intention of the ei
lies being to make a simultaneous 10
tack upon the Germans and thus ST
event the transportation OF soldiers Sc
om ore line TO the other. al
In Russian Poland and in northern &c