Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-25
GERMAN PEACE PROPOSAL
STUNNING TO ENGLAND
Effect Upon Average Citizen Is as
IL Hit by Failing
Brick.
PEOPLE ARE TIRED or WAR
Dutch Business Man Who Returns
From London Paints Gloomy Pic
ture OF COuntry'S Economical Com
ditiOn-Iloyd George Is Blamed.
nY WILLIAM n>yAnD HALE.

THE HAGUE via Berlin anu saw
willie wirelesaD. December ot-Tha ef-
feet which tho German peace proposal
Won i'm the streets OF London is wildly
set forth by Il Dutch business man,
who has just returned from the Eng
lIsh capital Ills trustwo-thiness is
above suspicion aud his statements are
| fully corroboratcd by Information
reaching me since the resumption Of
'hc boat service twice week He
says:
The effect Of the peace offer upon
tn. average EnElishman was IL no
we're stunned by Il falling brick. Even
before the Nortlcliffe papers and 9TH
or jinRo organs 'aheled Chancellor Won
Bcthmann IIollweg's message NOISY
bluff" "trickery," ''indication OF weak
ness" etc. reputable English busi-
ness man. however. made to them the
frank confession that l.. spite Of the
habitual boastings of certain newspa
pers. England is annihilating herself.
that her industries are reduced to one
nth Of their former capacity. that her
foreign commerce is restricted 20 a
barter with her Impoverished allies.
lille on the other hand she is hope
lcssly endeavorinE to compete with
the United States and Japan. The
standard Of living has become the most
perplexing economic problem. Home
labor is unobtainable or too expensive.
The case of Liverpool was cited to me
as proof of the fact that. assuming even
that the building OF new bottoms goes
on euninterruptedly. il will take Ave
years to restore the English shipping
I. it's former prestige and volume.
The Englishman who takes you in
his confidence sadly points out the fact
that there ia n growing feeling % de-
preston n the industrial ccnters. where
magnificent plants nave peen seques-
tered for war purposes. while skilled
/ ahor is diverted from its legitimate
channels.
BLAME LLOYD GEORGE
FOR PRESENT CONDITIONS
"Englishmen blame Lloyd George
/ Tor the industrial and economic condi-
lions and assert tAat an invading en-
envy could not have paralyzcd the
country more efectually They must
/ become reconciled If the other side Of
tho ledger revealed positive military
achievements. but the exact reverse is
the caac. and Lloyd George blindly in
forms his countrymen that they are
now called upon to begin a., over
again.
The IIollander asserts that the
peace oposal revealed Chancellor Won
! Bethrnann liollwcg TO the English un-
! willing 10 he duped, as the one states
man who clearly perceive; the catas
trophal effect Of war carried on tc
its extremity. Ny informant adds hi.
own Impressions Of the sentiment IN
London commercial circles AS follows
The city does not care q linkrr's
dam about ;he opinions OF the London
press. New York is being looked upnr
as the oracle i'll the present period oil
tension. The peace party in the lowe,
house is growing. Wherever I went
discovered that the German rcace pro.
2osal was 'hc solo topic OF discussion
II set London topsy-turvy. Nowhere
did encounter any Inclination towards
predatory rejection. There is mucr
curiosity as TO what the terms Nigh
be-