The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-31
Entente's Refusal Of Germany's
Peace Proposal as Made
Through U. S.
POWERS ARE SUSPICIOUS
Say Berlin Must Outline Terms
Before Any Conference
Can Begin.


entente allies reply to Germany's peace
proposal. as submitted to Washington
last night for transmission to Berlin:
THE allied governments OF Bel.
sium, France, Great Britain, Italy,
japan, Montenegro, Portugal, Ru.
mania. Russia and Serbia, united for
tho defense OF the liberty OF their
peoples and faithful to engagements
taken not TO lay down their arms
/ separately, have resolved to reply
| collectively to the pretended propo-
sitions OF peace which were address
ed to thcm on behalf OF tho enemy
governments through the, inferno.
diary OF the United States, spain,
switzerland and Holland. Before
making any reply the allied powers
desire particularly to protest against
the two essential assertions OF the
note OF the enemy powers that pre-.
tond TO throw upon the allies re-
sponsibility for the war and pro-
claim the victory OF the central
powers.
The allied governments cannot
admit an affirmation doubly inexact
and which suffices TO render sterile
all tentative negotiation. The allied
nations have sustained for thirty
| months war they did everything TO
avoid. They have shown by their
acts their attachment TO peace. That
attachment II az strong today as u
was In 1914. But ~ u not upon the
OF Its engagements, that the peace
broken by her may be based.
Calls oner shs. Proposal
"a mere suggestion, without n state
ment OF terms. that negotiations
should be opened IL not an offer OF
peace. The putting forward by tho
imperial government OF q sham pro-
posai lacking all substance and pre-.
clsion would appear To be less an
offer OF peace than n war manouvcr.
10 IL founded on calculated misinter-
probation OF the character OF the
struggle In tho past, the present.
and the future.
takes no account OF tho facts. dates
and figures which establish that the
war was desired. provoked and de.
clsred by Germany and Austria.
Hungary.
AT The Hague conference q was q
German delegate who refused all pro.
posals for disarmament. In July. 1910.
IL was Austria. Hungary who. after
having addressed to Serbia an unpre'
cedented ultimatum. declared war up
on hor In spite OF tho satisfaction
which had mt onco been accorded.
"The central empires then rejected
all attempts made by the entente Ia
bring about a pacific solution OF a
purely local conflict Great Britain
suggested n conference; France pro-
posed an International commission:
tho Emperor or Russia asked the Ger
man Emperor TO go to. arbitration.
and Russia and Austria,Hungsry came
20 an understanding on the eve OF the
conflict. But to all OF these efforts
Germany gave neither answer nor ef'
feet.
.wsr Map oaiy PsssinE Phase"
belgium was invaded by an empire
which had guaranteed her neutrality
and which had the assurance TO pro-
claim that treaties were scraps
OF paper and that necessity knows no
law
at the present moment these sham
offers on tho part OF Germany rest on
the war map OF Europe alone, which
represents nothing more than a super
ncial and passing phase or the situ'
alton and not the real strength OF the
belIigarents. A peace concluded upon
these terms would be only 20 the ad'
vantage OF the 'aggressors, who, after
Imagining that they would reach their
goal In two months, discovered after
two years that they would never at
tain IL.
"As for the future, the disasters
caused by the German declaration OF
war and the innumeraple outrages
committed by Germany and her allies
against both belligerents and neutrals
demand penalties, reparation, and
guarantees. Germany avoids mention
OF any OF these.
Elm reality these oyertures made
by central powers are nothing more
than a calculated attempt TO influence
the future course OF the war and TO
end Il by imposing a German peace.
Object OF the Overtures.
1.-THE object of these overtures Is TO
create dissension In public opinion In
the allied countries. But that public
opinion has. in spite OF all the sacri-