The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-04
THINKS ALLIES ARE
LONGING FOR PEACE
Food supply Is Daily Growing
Shorter. In Some Places No Meat
Obtainabie for Weeks.
JAPANESE RELATIONS BAD
Fear OF Return OF Russian Absolution
May Hinder Negotiations for Peace
With GcxTnany--Fear Russia VIII
Scx>cde.
BY WILLIAM BAYARD HALE.

BY WILLIAM BAYARD HALE.
+ Berlin. Dec. g., via Sayville.--So far
as j can learn the opinions of the
German government, it does not be-
lieve that a cessation of the war is
1 likely in many months TO come, and
is preparing TO wage the contest with
lercer energy than ever before.
The chorus OF protest from Eng
lish statesmen and newspapers against
peace now seems TO have convinced
the German government that the
struggle must continue.
To neutral observers possessed with
certain opportunities to learn the
progress OF <vents and of trend of
opinion IN tN<Nutente countries. how
ever, the ir son Is forced home
every day viii. " certainty that the
entente powers ere thoroughly sick
OF the war.
ceased three weeks ago. since which
time the north OF Europe has been
without direct communication with
the island.
The London Daily Chronicle re-
marks:
Who is conducting blockade1
Who Is controlling the North Sea. we
or Germany"
Americans Get No Mail.
The American EN- bassy in Berlin
has been without mail for many days.
but a pouch Is expected to arrive via
France and Switzerland
Nevertheless. from information
sneaking into the Scandinavian capt.
tails via Russia. and into Switzerland
via France and Italy. and conveyed
to me by my correspondents in these
capitals. exceedingly interesting
glimpses OF the actual conditions pre-
vailing in the entente countries are OBJ
tainahle.
These glimpses are given a more
vivid color by letters from homo
reaching prisoners in the netghbor-
hood OF Berlin, concerning the con-
tents OF which the recipients speak
freely and regarding which I have
taken pains to enquire.
English Anxious 10 Quit.
The impression which 1t IL impossi-
BILE to escape from these converging
sources 10 somewhat as follows:
The English people, aside from Ger
tain interested circles, are anxious to
quit the war Week by week the
food problem grows more serious. The
disappointing volume OF the American
wheat crop. ditto OF the European en-
tente field, ditto of the Australian, and
in a somewhat less degree OF those OF
Argentine. have forced up the price of
bread to a figure which threatens, and
has, in several places already caused
serious internal disaffection.
Said an English prisoner at Rahle-
ben to me:
They are talking now about oc-
casional mealess days. In my villa
every day has been meafless for over
; sly WHnEA pnflnd ~
be procured
The report Of the Cardiff peace
meeting was allowed to be published
In England, ad 1t Is a fact that many
towns and villages in the British Isles
are witnessing peace assemblages,
The coal situation Is nearing a
crash. The miners have been drawn
into the military service. since which
the coal supply has been greatly
diminished. The navies and ths
manufacturers OF entente coun.
tries dependent on English Welsh
coal are highly dissatisfied and the In.
huences exercised over Scandinavian
shipping by the threat to withhold
coal have greatly weakened.
Meanwhile the relations with Japan
are assuming an unfortunate complex
ion.
Labor troubles arc expected in Aus
d
ing violence and unrest In India ar,
causing apprehension while the uncon
cealed restlessness in Russia and Ital,
are also sausing apprehension.
France Yearns For Peace.
From France / have no Information
beyond the significant utterances o.
the Paris press. But from Italy and
specially from Russia, come to ms
private advice of Individually credita-
Bile warnings for peace.
with regard to the international
conditions of Russia have, obtainat
picture which unfortunately an
unable to transmit by wireless
Indeed, the really decisive facts
bearing upon the question of the con.
tinuation OF the war or the beginning
OF negotiations for peace cannot b.
written down at this 1unoture. but will
AFFORD fascinating material when his
tory comes TO be written.
Discarding the minor consideration.
and putting the situation into a brief
sentence. 1t IL n truthful representa-.
alan government would gladly enter
tain peace proposals II these could b
accompanied BY some assurance Of The
preservation Of the dynasty and rul-
Ing AEisteorAey- ag2inst rvv01utlo6
which probably would snsus upon the
restoration Of peace.
Fear Russian Absolut1on.
Unfortunately for the accomplish
ment Of this possibility. the social
Democrats especially wish to influence
Germany and would bitterly oppose
the use of German arms TO support
Russian absolution even ~ the price
Of obtaining peace.
II Is really the fear Of Russia's Sc
cession from the entente that Is bring
ing forth the English denunciations OF
peace at the present time. 1t In the
unanimity of the British CHORUS
against premature peace that convinces
the German government: II 10 this very
unanimity that suggests to other OBJ
servers that the whole thing IL or
ganized with IA view to the meaning
Of the imminent danger. namely. Rus
sian detection in that the lady doth
protest too much
When one remembers the loud boast
ings OF the British government as the
Boer war neared its end and the HUI
initiating conditions which II actually
accepted. II Is doubtful TX any credence
can be given the present loud vocifer-
! ations