Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-13
TERMS ON WHICH
HE WILL SHEATHE
SWORD UNKNOWN
Said to Be Appropriate for
Establishment of Last
ing Peace.
ALL CENTRAL POWERS JOIN
IN MOVE TO END CONFLICT
Identical Notes Are Sent to
United States, Spain and
Switzerland.
ACT ON GROUND or "HUMANITY"
Ready to Continue Fighting to Vic
tOriouS End if Offer Is
Refused.
ACT on GROUND or "HUMAN1ry
Ready to Continue Fighting to Vic
tOrious End IL Offer Is
Refused.
IBy Associa,ed,.ress

BERLIN. December IL tvia Sayvillc.
ss).-Gcrmany and her allies to-
day proposed to enter forthwith into
peace negotiations. -v
The propositions which they will
bring forward are, according To Chan
ccllor Won Bethmnnn- -Hollweg. uppro-
PIRATE for the establishment OF a last
ing peace.
The following announcement was
given out to-day by the scmiofiicial
Overseas News Agency:
THE Chancellor this morning re-
ceired one after another the repres.n-
tatives OF the United States of America,
spain and Switzerland. that u.s. OF the
states protecting German interests In
hostile foreign countries. The Chan
cellor transmitted to them n note, and
asked them to bring il to the knowl-
edge of the hostile governments The
note later was read in the Rcichstag
by the Chancellor
I'm the note the four allied (centraD
powers propose. to enter forthwith on
peace negotiations. The propositions
which they bring for such negotiations
are. according to their firm belief. ap-
propriatc for the establishment Of n
lasting peace.
The governments at Vienna. Con-
stantinople and Sofia transmitted iden-
tical notes. and also communicated
powers"
TEXT OF GERMAN NOTE
ADDRESSED TO ALLIES
Following is the text of the note ad-
dressed by Germany and her allies to
the hostile governments:
The most terrific war ever exDcri-
hn
the last two years and n half over !,
large part OF the world-a catastrophe
which thousapds of years OF common
civilization was unable to prevent. and
which Injuries the most precious
achievements of humanity
our aims are not to shatter nor
annihilate our adversaries. In spite OF
our consciousness OF our military and
economic strength and our readiness
to continue the war (Which has beSn
forced upon us) until the bitter end.
II necessary. at the same time
prompted by the desire to avoid fur
ther bloodshed and make an end to
the atrocities of war, the four allied
powers propose TO enter forthwith into
peace negotiations. The propositions
which they bring forward for such
negotiations, and which have for their
u
the honor and liberty of evolution for
their nations. are+> according to their
firm belief. an APPROPRIATE basis for
the establishment OF lasting peace
THE four allied powers have been
Obliged To take up arms To defend JUS
tee ana the liberty of national cvolu-
ton The glorious deeds of our
armies have in no way altered their
purpose. We always maintained the
firm belief that our own rights and
justified claims in way control the
rights of these nations
SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL
PROGRESS THREATENED
The spiritual and material progress
which were the pride of k.uropc at the
beginning Of the twentieth century
are threatened with ruin. Germany
and her allies. Austria Hungary. Bull
garia and Turkey. gave proof OF
their unconuuerablc strength i'm this
struggle. They gained gigantic ad-
rantagcs over advcrsarics superior in
number and war material. Our lines
stand mistaken against ever-repeated
attempts made by armies
THE last attack in the Balkans has
been rapidly and victoriously over
come. The most recent events have
OF tho war will not result in breaking
the resistance of our forces and the
whole situation will. regard to our
troops justites our expectation OF fur
ther successes.
IF. i'll spite of this offer OF peace
and reconciliation, the struggle should
go on, the four allied powers are re-
solved to continue to Il victorious end,
but they disclaim responsibility for
this before humanity and history. The
imperial government, through the good
offices of Your Excellency, ask the
government OF there is inserted tho
name OF the neutral power addressed
in each instance) to bring this COM
munication to the knowledge Of tho
government of there are inserted tho
names OF the belliSerents)."
ANSWER OF ENEMIES
AWAITED WITH SERENITY
After reading the note, the Chan.
cellor said: tt0L
Gentlemen, in August, 1914. our
enemies challenged the superiority OF
power in the world war. To-day@we