The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-12-29

ASHlNdFON, December %
" President wilson has adopted
"a policy Of 'ttsbsolute silence"
concerning the .dev elopmeuts in the
peace pe9otiations. He has fatty re-
fused to discuss reports and rumors put
into circulation by daily papers printed
abroad, nor will he issue any statement
regarding the status of The proposals he
has made to the wa frias Ppsers. -..,
This attitude has gwen rise to "a
number Of speculations more or less
worth while, but the 'gist Of the official
opinion in this city seems to be that
the silence" policy of the President
means that there is at present going
forward a steady stream of secret ex
changes between the warning Powers
through the office Of the nation s exccu.
tive in the White House.
Secrecy May Help
These officials point out that it is to
be expected that such a course would
be followed, and diplomats declare
that in their opinion Germany is far
more likely to give better terms, pro.
vided they can be kept secret for the
time being, than she would do if com.
PEELED to throw down her cards, face up
on the table.
The tenseness Of the situation is one
Of the features that is becoming more
and more apparent. One insider, close
to the White House, yesterday declared
that Mr.. Wilson is fully aware that
should the negotiations for peace now
fall through and come to nothing, the
United States has much to dread from
the development of a submarine war
fare by the Teutonic Powers, which
would be more ruthless than anything
they have heretofore attempted. 9th.
crs have confirmed this view and de.
rlared that the failure of the negotia-
tlOns would undoubtedly mean serious
difficulties for the United States.
Teuton Replies Here
Austria's reply to the President s
note asking for terms has been received
at the state department and transmitted
to the White House at once. No hint
Of, its contents was given out by the
state department officials, but il is un.
derstoOd that it is prac ctically identical
to the note from Berlin. The Berlin
note also arrived and was transmitted
to the President. 1t was declared that
Ambassador Gerard sent no coufidcn.
tial communication with the note.
That Germany has an intention of
making President Wilson the medium
for tentative discussion of peace nego-
tiations is understood in well.informed
circles here. 1t became known and
uyiHalxT khak
will not permit the road to peace ne.
gotiations to be blocked by refusal
of the Entente Allies to enter into a
conference without prior knowledge
of her terms.
In the diplomatic maneuVcring which
has arisen, Germany is planning to 50
handle her points as to secure Il road
to the negotiations over the refusal Of
the Entente Powers to move until the
Teutons have given some concrete evi,
dence Of what they are prepared to do
toward bringing an end to the war adj
justing international relations.
1t had been forecast that the Entente
group would base refusal on the fact
that the German proposals are too
vague to receive consideration.
May Disclose Terms
The Teutons, it is understood. are
willing to permit confidential ex,
change of broad, tentative terms
through President Wilson il necessary
to bridge the gap which now threatens
to prevent the assemblage of peace de,
legdtes. IntimatiOns have reached the
government that a statement of this
position will soon be communicated to
the United States
Germany's answer to the United