Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-06-15
PEACE RUMoRs SPREAD.
Washington Hears of "Feelers" To-
ward Termination of War.

of rumors concerning an early peace
! in Europe. Traceable, apparently,
| to no particular development. oui
rather to an accumulation of cilcum'
stances noted by observers during
the past few days, reports are finding
circulation to the effect thai both
sides in the giant conflict have al
ready begun sending out "feelers,"
and that before many months have
PASSED actual negotiations will be
under way.
Among the reasons apparent FOL
ending the conflict the following are
suggested:
First-The fact that while Germ
any is as strong as ever and could re-
sist indefinitely any attempt to in
wade her dominions-a circumstance
that places in position for advan.
tageous parley over terms-she has
apparently spent the force of her re-
markable first drive and cannot hope
to make further headway in an often
sive campaign.
Second-Evidenc of a weakening
on the part of the defenders of Con
stantinoale: and the slow bnt steady
advanca Of the Allies towards that
city, the capture of which would re-
lease thousands Of Russian troops
now in that locality for use in East
Prussia or as reenforcements for the
Italian invaders of the Austrian
provinces.
Third-The reports from Athens
indicating Il big victory in the Gree
ian elections for the war party of
former Premier Venizelos, and the
prospect that Greece may soon align
herself with the Allies and add he,
strength to the foes of Germany.
Fourth-The moderate tone Of the
German press as a whole in discuss
ing the American rejoinder on thu
Lusitania affair, and the apparen,
eagerness on the part of the semi-of-
fetal newspapers to find a means Of
amicably adjusting the controversy
with the United States
Fifth-The recent visit to Wash
ington of Won Ghell Guldermeester
son Of the spiritual at!risci OF che
Queen of Holland, whose mission was
heralded from abroad as being con.
cerned with an effort to sound oui
the United States in reference to q
suggestion for joint peace proposals
by the leading neutral powers
Sixth-The growing realization
among the people of the allied ma
tions fighting Germany of the tre-
mendous toll in human life and money
which would have to be expended in
any effort to crush Germany.
Military men in Washington, who
have manifested considerable admira-
tlon for the aggressive tactics and
wonderful effectiveness of, the fight
ing power and organization of the
German army, are nevertheless un-
able to see how Germany can hope
to gain any appreciable ground in
the west, where an advance of even
a half mile by either side at any
point along the enormous front is to
be won only at the cost of frightful
losses. On the other hand these OBJ
servers feel that Germany, even
though able to drive back the Rus
slams repeatedly, would hardly risk
any considerable advance into Rus
sia for the small tactical gain which
such drive would mean. On the
other hand, it is pointed out that
from the standpoint of a nation ready
to consider peace negotiations Ger.
many is in the admirable position oil
not having been beaten on land ant
having her fleet in the Baltic practi.
cally intact.
The campaign against Constanti
| nople was started by the Allies anc
accepted by Germany as one of criti
cal Importance. Capture of that city
! with the resultant control of thu
Dardanelles and occupation of Euro
pean Turkey would not only tighte,
the steel band around Germany ever
more effectively than ever but would
in the opinion of the strategists Of
both sides, result in a general entr,
} on the part of all the Balkan State
into the struggle on the side of TIL
Allies,
According to Athens dispatche
the candidates of the war part,
We're generally successful through
out Greece, and attention is calle
in these reports to the fact that Veni
zelos resigned his premiership be