The sun., 1916-12-19

contains no terms and the impression
prevails In oficial circles that until these
are disclosed q conference Is impossible.
While the British Foreign Office was
receiving the document from Ambassa-
dor Page a similar delivery was taking
place in Paris.
The Swiss Minister at Rome pre.
sented the note Of the Central Powers
to Italy without comment and through
the same Government channel the mes.
sage was presented TO Belgium and Por-
tusal. also without comment. Tie Meth
erlands Minister rendered the peace pro-
posals TO Serbia In behalf Of Bulgaria.
Prior to receipt of the note by the
British Foreign once the deliveries to
Italy. Belgium and other countries had
permitted exchanges concerning the
exact official contents. which proved to
be substantially the same a. given in
the speech made in the ReichstaG by
Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollwee and
without containing any specific indica-
tion Of the terms.
After Lloyd Georges speech showing
the general attitude Of the British Cow
ernment. exchanges between the Entente
Allies will determine the nature Of the
Joint reply. but informal conferences al
ready have prepared much of the ground
RetoFt to GePmaAy.
1t is understood that the assertion
made in the, German note that the war
was forced upon Germany will not be
permitted to 30 unchallenged and that
as matter Of historical record Ger
many's part In the events leading to the
war Will be clearly shown. What is
termed by British ofYicials as Germany's s
methods OF conducting war against a
civilian population. women and children.
particularly In the recent Belgian de-
portations. will also probably be pointed
out. According to tho latest advices
reaching the Entente Allied Govern
ments the number Of Belgians deported
has reached 10000.
While the note as presented makes no
reference to conference there con-
tinue to be indications that Germany
10 seeking one. This has led to a careful
scrutiny Of the last precedent--that Of
the conference preceding tho peace con-
sress at the close OF the Crimean war.
A preliminary conference was held at
Vienna In 1854 and proved abortive. but
when the peace congress which finally
settled tho terms was held at Paris a
year later the discussions at the confer
ence served largely a. q basis.
The Westmtnstcr Gazette, which all
along has held strongly to the opinion
that the German peace proposal should
receive q serious reply, commented to-
day on the statement that the note con.
talns TO terms and added:
III the German note contains no de-
tails and is merely a repetition of Chan
cellor Won mann -Hollweg's speech
In the Relchstag the prospect OF any
immediate result Is exceedingly slight" !"
Bonar Law, Chancellor OF the Ex-
chequer. announced In the Commons that
Parliament before II was prorogued
would be asked to pass q bill to au.
thorize the Treasury. II the House was
not sitting. to issue a war loan. The
bill, said the Chancellor. would not state
the terms OF issue as II is not certain
that the loan would be issued. The bill
merely would enable the Treasury to
issue the loan II the Government thought
the time opportune. 1t 10 hoped that
Parliament may be prorogued on Friday.
TO reassemble early in February.