Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-29
ALL PEACE STEPS
TO Be REGARDED
AS CONFIDENT
Wilson and Lansing Decide
on Policy Of Absolute
Silence.
NO COMMENT WILL BE MADE
ON ANY DEVELOPMENTS
Decision Made Known After Of
fetal Texts of German and Aus
trian Replies Are Received.
SECRET EXCHANGES POSSIBLE
No More Light on Attitude Of En-
tente Than Has Been Given
Publicly.
NO COMMENT WILL BE MADE
ON ANY DEVELOPMENTS
SECRET EXCHANGES POSSIBLE
No More Light on Attitude of En-
tente Than Has Been Given
Publicly.

ffN y S~~0Cl'itcf Press
WASHI INCTON. December 2S--A mol
icy of absolute silence regarding tho
peace negotiations has been adopted
by President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing. It WAS stated officially to-
day that all steps henceforth will he
regarded as confidential No comment
will he made on any developments. and
rumors will not bc discussed In ANY
way.
The decision TO pursue this course
was made known after the State |,
partmcnt had received the official text,
OF the German and Austrian replies to
President Wilson's idcntic notes to the
belligcrcnts proposing Il discussion of
peace terms. and after 1t was learned
that the Tcutonic powers would be
willing TO permit confidential en-
change of tentative terms II it he
came necessary 20 do so to bridge
gap threatening TO prevent gather
ing OF peace delegates.
In many quarters the oficia atti-
tudc was construed as indicating that
secret exchanges wcrc expected to fol-
low. il they did not prccedc the formal
answers OF the entente nations to the
notes Of President Wilson and the
central powers. Because of tho highly
confidential nature of any such ne
Gotiations. IL is pointed out. the in
termediary would he Obliged to re-
fran from admitting even that they
were in progress.
GERMANY FIRST MUST
INDICATE CONDITIONS
So far as the entente governments
are concerned, it is understood that
little. ii any, confidential information
has reached here to shed more light
on their attitude than has been given
publicly in the speeches OF their Pre-
miers and the comment of their press.
Consequently. ,here is no disposition
here to doubt that the allies unani-
mously will refuse to enter any sort
of peace conference until Germany ha
indicated clearly on what conditions
she will stop lighting.
On the Tcuton,c side. while the reply
to President Wilson is regarded by tho
German embassy as complying with
President Wilson's suggestion in Offer
ing a method of procedure Germany
Is said to be willing to consider other
suggestions regarding methods from
any quarter. including her enemies
The views of the German govern
mcnt further are represented as being
as follows:
antees for the future are the principal
clements to be achieved. and. lacking
confidence In the German government.
insists upon knowing something OF the
guarantees that Germany - willing tn
give, the Berlin government might
make some declaration regarding the
principles to which she is willing To
subscribe. leaving details for settle
ment at the proposed conference. The
German government considers that
there is hut little to be gained I'm any
iehSthE discussion of guarantees for
the future with the present war i'm
progress. In this connections Germany
1t is asserted. never has intended that
the conference suggested should resrIt
Immediately III the establishment of
peace. 1t is considered that II ueces
SaiiiE would he of Il preliminary ma
ture 10 determine whether it might no.
he possible to end the war.
WOULD CALI. IN NEUTHAIS
AFTER PRELIMINARY AGREEMENT
According to the German diplom,ts
the plan Germany is proceeding unon
would provide that the delegates
Shouid hrst agree upon territorial and
immediately connected terms. and that
II preliminary treaty then should be
settled upon. This completed. the Ger
man idea is TO have all the neutrals
called i'm to participate In considern
u"h of the questions OF guarantees for
the tuture. They regard it as a mat
Ter Tor the conference to settle whethcr
'he neutral nations should become
S'ehato'N TO the entire peace treaty
or only TO that part having to do with
guarantees for the maintenance nj
pc"'e IN the future, such as limitation
OF armamentS. formation OF world
''"Sue 10 enforce peace and establish
ihrht OF an International court of arbi
tration.
Diplomats familiar with the Wow
point OF Germany and her allies were
especially emphatic tonight i'm sayinr.
thtt Germany necessarily would h.
able 10 make much better terms /,
confidential negotiations than In n,,b-
ne The radical element in German
politics. it is said. n-ust be coasidcroJ
Under any circumstances. however II
was sa'd Germany would not conside-
making peace IL the entente should in
Sist upon retaining Germany's IT,
colonies and requiring Germany. at the
same time to cvacuate all enemy ter
rttory now occupied
In admitting to-day that no further
communication had accompanied tho
German or the Austrian reply TO the
Presidents note. officials stated nativ
that such questions - this effect In
the future would not be answered
The official texts OF the German and .
the Austrian replies, received to-day, K
varied slightly from each other and
from the original cablcd press transIa-