Evening star., 1916-12-28
Held Not Averse to Confidential
Exchange of Tentative .
Proposals.
WOULD BLOCK REFUSAL =
OF ENTENTE TO PARLEY
Teutonic Government Ready to Come.
ply With Any Suggestions From
President to Assure Conference.

Germany, 1t was made knoWn
here today, will not permit the
road to peace negotiations to be
blocked by a refusal of the entente
belligerents to- enter conference
without prior knowledge of her
terms. 1t has been forecast that
the entente powers would base a
refusal on this condition.
The central powers were repre-
sented today as willing to permit
ia confidential exchange of broad
tentative terms through President
Wilson should it become neces-
sary to do so to bridge the gap
which threatens to prevent
gathering OF peace delegates.
There were broad intimations to-
day that statement Of this posi-
ton by Germany either had been
communicated to the United
States government or soon
would be. .
Official Text Now Here.
The official text of Germany's reply
to President Wilson'S note arrived to-
day, and it was declared that no conf
A haS
dor Gerard accompan it. There are
indications, however, that confiden-
| tial statement of Germany's position.
| IL made, would come through. the am
bassador.: 1t has been announced in
| advance however, that it would not be
| made public, and it is likely that its
receipt even would not be admitted.
to the United States to make every ef1orf
to bring about peace conference, ana 10
that end is represented as ready TO COM
MY with any suggestions from President
Wilson AS the case stands now the Ger
man government considers II has met All
the suggestions in the president note
and a statement to that erect mas been
made bS Count Won Bernstorf. the Ger.
man ambassador
1t was said today that Germany had
no intention of asking the entente to
make public its terms. and at the same
time would not publicly divuge her
| own. on any; consideration. The view
expressed in cert1in circles here is that
the Teutonic terms when laid before
! the entente delegates will be such as
| to admit of their acceptance.
| German Ambassador Optimistic.
Count Won Rernstorff the German
ambassador who hurried back to the
apital last night, reiterated again to-
|. day that he felt a conference would re-
suit from the. present situation. and
that he considered it in a light OF
optimism
| Germany's position is represented as
one of Willingness to impart her terms
in a confidential manner first, If that
is absolutely necessary to confer
ence. but otherwise preferring to re-
serve them for presentation at a round
table conference where they could be
discussed with more freedom.
Official Text of Reply.
The official text. which differs some in
phraseoloEy from the unofficial. fol-
lows:
.'The imperial government has ac-
cepted and considered in the friend
ly spirit which is apparent in the
communication of the PRESIDENT
(the) noble initiative of the Presi-
dent looking to the creation OF bases
for the foundation of lasting
peace.
aThe President discloses the aim
l. which lies. next to his heart aad
leaves the choice of the way open.
"a direct exchange of views. ap-
|. pears to the imperial government as
the most suitable way of arriving at
the desired result. The imperial
government has the honor. there
fore in the sense of its declaration
of the 18th instant, which onered
the hand for peace negotiations, TO
propose speedy assembly on neutral
ground of delegates of the warning o.
states. ,.
nerial. government that the great
work for the prevention OF future
wars can first be taken up only
after the ending. of the present
conflict of exhaustion The Imperial
government is ready, when this
noint has been reached, to Coop
crate with the United States at this
sublime task"
Growing Belief Regarding Allies. !,
That the allies will declare that there
must be military solution to the war,
both in their note to the President and
in their reply to the central powers, is
the growing belief here both on the
basis of statements at the allied em-
bassies and from cabled press. COM
ment. Intimations from both Paris
and Rome that the allies Will not dis
cuss peace until they actually hold the
territories they considered essential for
their future are taken to indicate that
the allies want to wait fora substantial
military victory and a reversal of the
present military situation.
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