Arizona republican., 1916-12-28
PLANS
 FUR PEACE WILL
 RESULT IN GOOD
rRepublican A. p. Leased wire1

lRepuhltcan A. F. Leased WIreJ
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.--In spite of the wide gulf between the insistence of the central powers for an immediate peace conference and the forecast of d unanimous refusal by the entente allies to enter such a conference with out knowing Germany's terms in ad- vance, the American government be- lieves that the negotiations in progress are resulting in good. It was said on good authority tonight that unless the door to peace actually is closed by one side or the other, President Wilson will continue to hope that any discussion of the subject will tend to hasten the end of the war.
 Count von Berstorff, the German ambassador, returning unexpectedly tonight from New York, authorized the Associated Press to make the follow ing statement:
 ''I regard the note of my govern ment as constituting an acceptance of everything suggested by President Wilson in his note to the belligerent nations of Europe
 It was made clear at the embassy that Germany stands ready to make known her terms on the first day of any conference that may be held, and officials expressed themselves as be- ing greatly surprised at the view pre- vailing in some quarters here that the Berlin government had failed to meet the presidents suggestions by not set ting down in the reply the terms upon which fl is willing to make peace. The German diplomats say President Will son had no intention of drawing a public declaration concerning terms from the central powers. On the con- trary. they think the presidents sug- gestion that an early occasion be sought to call out from all the nations now at war such an avowal of their respective views as to the terms upon which the war might be concluded" has been fully met by Germany in seeking an immediate conference with her enemies
 The German policy upon which the reply to President Wilson's communi- cation is based, was outlined as fol- lows:
 Germany feels that the conference suggested by it first should be com posed of delegates from the belligerent countries whose duty it would be to settle territorial terms. Once these terms are agreed upon, representa- tives of the neutrals should be called in to participate in consideration Of the questions of guarantees for the
 
 concerned as beligerents. These guarantees, in the German view necessarily would have to do with the freedom of the seas, limited disarma- ment, formation of a world league Of nations to enforce peace and the establishment of an international court of arbitration.
 While there were no official advices upon the subject, the view still per sisted in German quarters tonight that the note of the central powers might be followed by some highly confi- dential oral or written communication to President Wilson, in which at least broad tentative terms might be stated In this connection officials noted with interest Berlin press dispatche saying that Ambassador Gerard, who as a result of his recent visit to the Cnited States, is thoroughly familiar with the views of President Wilson. had taken lunch with Alfred Zimmerman. the German foreign minister. and probably discussed the peace situation with him.