The evening world., 1916-12-13
FRENCH PAPERS
CALL PEACE BID
A CLUMSY TRAP
"Treacherous German Move
Seeks Internal and External
Effect" Says One.
EVIDENCE OF A CRISIS.
Berlin Tageblatt Declares
Every One Should Sup
port the Peace Move.

PARIS Dec. ia clumsy trap.
II tho caption under which the
morning papers print Chancellor Won
Bethmanp Hollwegs speech In the
Reichstag.
"The time for felnts Is over" says
tho Petit Journal. "we are no
longer In tho presence OF the trial
efforts Of those persistent appeals to
interviewers and newspaper articles
Chancellor Won Hollwes summoned
the Relchstag not TO hear his speech.
but to be confronted with an act.
I'VE do not know II at Berlin
there are people SO naive as to
imagine that the allies are likely to
swallow this clumsy bait. even on
the morrow of tho events In Rou-
mania. In any case. Field Marshal
Won Hindenburs's statement shows
that the military cherish no such
Illusion. What In stiii more certain
Is that the treacherous German move
aims at something else than genuine
peace. IL seeks an internal and ex-
tcrnal effect.
In Germany II Is intended to con-
vince the people that the Government
Is not responsible for the sacrifices
imposed and that Its adversaries
alone are responsible for the contln-
uation OF the struggle. Abroad Il de-
sires to persuade neutrais that the
ALLIES are pursuing a policy Of am
billion. That II the explanation of
the pretended moderatieo in the tone
Of the speech"
In an article In the Figaro. Alfred
Capus, dramatlst and member OF the
French Academy. writes:
AS soon as we lay down our arms.
ms soon a. tho image OF peace shall
have done les work OF disturbing our
minds and peace party shall have
been formed in France. Russia and
England, then Germany will en-
tighten us Oh the condition which
she now calls moderate. Such In the
trap. 1t Will be met by us and by
our allies with grim contempt. not
even with anger. The manoeuvre
is too clumsy to be worthy Of indig-
nation"
The Matin characterizes the peace
proposals as mere talk" sayiM:
They contain no territorial. politi-
cal or other conditions which could
serve as basis OF discussion. They
could not deceive any but the most
ignorant"
BERLIN. Dec. Ia The Tageblatt
to-day cautiously says that every
one should support the peace move
with full power. since It Is perhaps
the first step toward peace.
An editorial In the Vorwaerts. cap
TONED Humanity Question Peace
points out Germany's conditions OF
peace as honor. existence. freedom
and development.
The Morgen Post. carrying a
"streamer" headline I'VE Extend the
Hand of Peace" says:
see! There is light in the
darkness. It's ray Is weak and II
| fickers dim backward and forward
In the spray and storm and wind.
"Wil this small ray grow into n
bright cleaning glow to tighten the
world and warm mankind?"
The Nossischa Zeitung explains
that neutral nations In this INSTANCE
do not act as mediators, but merely
M carriers OF the proposal.
Germania, the Catholic organ, ex-
presses especial pleasure that the
central powers appeal to tho Pope
as we'll as to other neutrals. II en-
! Enthusiastically approves the peace
! overtures. which II terms the privi-
lege OF the stronger In war and a per-
tormance OF the holiest OF duties to
humanity and Christian morality.
The evening edition OF the Lokal-
Anzoiger gcfrains from predicting
either success or failure for Ger
manys peace overtures.
Victor Hahn. in the National
Heitung, lays emphasis upon n char
acterization OF the peace overtures
as sign OF strength rather than OF
weakness and expresses belief that
the responsible statesmen OF tho En-
tente will not care to construe them
otherwise