Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-05-08
ENGLAND TRIED
To MAKE PEACE,
IS STORY TOLD
Report That 0vertures in the
Spring of 1915 Is Cifculat-
ed Among Disaffected Wing
Of German Socialists,
,Assoc,atea Pres, Correspondence.)

Rerlin. April 25.-The story of Eng
land made an offer of peace to Ger
many in the spring Of 1915, which
has for some time been persistently
circulated by the disaffected wing OF
the socialist party, has at last been Ell
fectively exposed by the "Chemnitzzer
Volkstimme," itself a leading socialist
organ. Deputy Haase of Koenigs-
berg, head of the leading socialist
faction in theAreichstag, was sponsor
for the story. According to the So
clalist newspaper of Koenigsberg he
claimed to have proofs that England
offered peace on condition that Ger
many made no annexations OF terri
tory for which England in return
would agree to cede some of its col
onies to Germany and pay a war in
demnity besides. This story was
widely circulated, says the koenigs-
berg newspaper, and caused much
dissatisfaction in the socialist ranks,
where 1t was felt that the government
should have responded to the Brit
sh overture.
The Chemnitzer Nolkstimma With
an article captioned "Haase's War
Hoax now exposes the whole thing
by reciting some recent transactions
in the budget committee of the reich
stag. According to this organ this
peace rumor was again mentioned at
meeting of the committee on Mafch
20. 1916, by Herr Ledebour, a promi-
nent socialist member, although I'm
der-Secretary of State Zimmerman, Of
the foreign office, had assured the
committee months ago that there was
no truth in it. LedeOour asked Cham
celor Won Bethmann- Holweg why the
English peace offers had been re-
lected The chancellor replied that
the statement was not true; he knew
nothing about any English peace pro-
posals
Chancellor Absent.
Haase, who was present, prompted
Ledebour vigorously; and the latter
remarked further that the incident
TO which he referred took place at a
time when the chancellor was absent
from Berlin, and Under Secretary of
State Zimmerman could probably tell
about 1t. Zimmerman thereupon de-
MED energetically that any English
peace negotiator had been turned
away, and that for the very good
reason that none had ever shown up.
Then he went on to explain how the
whole story started, in the following
terms:
Professor Schuecking, we'll
known German pacifist, had called
upon him at the foreign office, said
zimmerman, and told him that he
mad been to Holland attending a
meeting of the Anti-Orlog- Rad can
u-War counciD, where Under-Secre-
tary Dresselhuis, of the Dutch minis
Try of justice, had offered to come to
Berlin as peace negotiators between
germany and England. Schuecking
auded that Dresselhuis would mol
come as the official representative
OF the Dutch government, nor would
ne bring any proposals whatever from
the British government; in other
words he only wanted to hear Ger
inanys proposals and then proceed
TO London to see what he could dc
mere Zimmerman answered thai
while he was of course willing tC
receive an agent holding a commits
sum from responsible English states
men of influential circles. he de-
cnhed on his part to make peace
proposals to England through a pri
'ate person. u
Plans Rejected.
nevertheless, members of the Anti
ioe-kaad went to England and had
conference with such peace friend
's Burns, Trevelyan, Macdonald an'
o'hers. When, however. the Dutcl
tegates put forth the view tina
England Germany could certainl.
oegln negotiations upon a few con
Vrete points like the Belgian prob
lenl' they met with a general rejection
vi their plans. John Burns. in par
,cuiar,, according to a report fror
n9Hand, characterized it as an "im
puoent imputation' that they shout
negotiate with Germans about Bel
sum- Belgium. he said. was 70
england no bargaining object: ther
spuid be no talk of negotiations unit
germany. had Internationally evacl
"od Belgium and restored it as