The sun., 1916-12-14
PARIS SEES A TRAP.
Press RiAicsIes idea Of Placing
Faith Z. the oaer.

Faith n the OHer.
PARIS. Dec. 1.-THE offer Of peace Of
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hollwes 10 re-
ceived with q chorus OF dcrision In the
French press. The newspapers are
unanimous In the Wow that II Ia an ad-
mission that the situation Is getting
critical In Germany and that the Chan
cellor wants q way out before II 10 too
late. His move b considered to have
the additional advantage that in the
event Of IL failing Il will enable hin to
throw tho blame for the continuation Of
the war on the Allies. which he hopes
will have a moral effect on Germany and
the neutral nations.
IL a reply Ia maze to the German note
II will be only after consultation with
the allies Of France, and such CONVERSE
tons would require considerable time.
Inquiry In responsible quarters to-day
elected the opinion that Germany'J sug-
gestion In a OF designed first. for
effect at home; second. to Impress neu-
trails third. a. Q test Of public opinion
In bellt,erent Countries, with the chance
Of some reaction there.
See Mere Repetition.
Germany's suggestion Is rejected In
authoritative quarters. where II Is o n
sidcred to be a repetition In more con
crete form Of the peace discussions orig
mating In Berlin from time to time In
the last fifteen months.
THE time for feinte Ia over" says the
PETE Journal I'VE are no longer In the
presence OF the trial efYorts OF those per-
sietent appeals to Interviewer and
newspaper articles. It IL intended TO
convince the people that the Government
h not responsible for the sacrifices Inn
posed n that Ito adversaries alone are
responsible for the continuation Of the
strusgle. Abroad II desires to persuade
n~eutrals that the ALLIES are pursuing .
policy Of ambition. That Is the expla-
nation Of the pretended moderation In
the o Of the speech"
The katfn characterises the peace
proposals. A. mere talk" saying:
They contain no territorial. political
or other conditions which could serve a.
a basis Of discussion. Germany simply
says for the hundredth time that she
never desired war M wishes only to
protect her rights. N that II her enc
miles will not listen she will throw the
lame of further bloodshed on them.
Talk OF Peace Vague.
Germany IL compelled to talk OF
peace. but she does Il as vaguely as pos
sible in the hope Of spreading dissens'on
among her enemies and keeping her
coalition together"
In an article In the Figaro Alfred
Sapus, dramatist n member OF the
French Academy. writes:
"What Of the conditions? what Il
the whole thing for? We want peace
too. but our peace Ia not theirs. What
then, are 0ermany's conditions? Moth.
ing precise. She informs us only tina,
her p~retens!ons are moderate. and pro.
poses to us to stop the war while she
defines them. A. 800 as We lay down
our arms. as soon as the image OF peace
shall have done Its work of disturbing
our minds and n peace party shall, have
been formed in France, Russia and Eng.
land. then Germany will enlighten US or
the conditions which she now calls
moderate.
Such IL the trap. II will be met by
10 n by u allies with grim con-
tempt. not even with niger The ma.
npuvre 10 too clumsy to be worthy Of
Indignation"