The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-29
CONFIDENTIAL EXCHANGE Of
TERMS AGREEABLE To GERMANY
IF NECESSARY TO
SECURE CONFERENCE
Official Texts of Notes Arrive
and Washington Will Be
Silent Hereafter.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Dec. Is
A policy Of absolute silence regarding
the peace negotiations has been adopt
ed by President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing. 1t was stated officially to
day that all steps henceforth will be
regarded as confidential. that no com
ment will be made on any deTelopment
and that rumors will not be discussed
in any way.
The decision to pursue this course
was made known after the State De-
partment haG received the official texts
Of the German and. Austrian replies 10
President Wilson'S identical notes to
the belligerents, proposing a discus-
sion Of peace terms, and after II was
learned that the Teutonfc powers
would be willing to permit, a confiden-
tia1 exchange of tentative terms II II
became necessary to do so. to bridge
the gap threatening to prevent gath
ering of peace delegates.
In many quarters the official attitude
was construed as indicating that Sc
cret exchanges were expected to follow
if they did not precede the formal an
swers to the Entente nations to the
notes Of President Wilson and the Cen
trail powers. Because of the highly
confidential nature Of any such nego-
tiationS. it is pointed out the interme-
diary would be obliged TO refrain from
admitting even that they were in prog
reSS.
So far as the Entente governments
are concerned. it is understood that
little. il any confidential information
has reached here to shed more light on
their attitude than ha sheen given pub
licly in the speeches Of their premierS
and the comment Of their press. Con-
sequently. there is no disposition here
TO doubt that the allies unanimously
will refuse to enter any sort of peace
conference until Germany has indi-
Gated clearly on what conditions she
will stop fighting.
On the Teutonic side. while the re.
ply 70 President Wilson is regarded by
the German embassy as complying
with President Wilson's suggestion in
Offering method of procedure. Ger
many is said to be willing to consider
other suggestions regarding methods
from any quarter. including her enc
mics.
The German View.
Tine views of the German govern
mant further are represented as being
as follows:
It the Entente considers that guar
antees for the future are the pEinci-
pal elements to be achieved. AMI.
lacking confidence in the German
government, insists upon knowing
somethin. of the guarantees that Ger
many IS willing 10 give. the Berlin
government might make some declac-
alton regarding the principles to
which she is willing to subscribe,
lea";ng details for settlement at the
proposed conference. The German
government considers that there is
lut little to DO gained by going inln
aSy lengthy discussion Of guarantees
fer the future with the present war in
progress. In this connection. Ger
many. il is asserted. never has IN
tended that TIE conference suggest
cd s''orll result Immediately in the
estarfiShileni Of peace it is conSlG-
cred that it necessarily would be of
= .rreliminary nature to determine
whether il might not be possible to
end n" war.
According TO the German diplomats.
tie plan Germany is proceeding upon
would provide that the delegate;
should first agree upon territorial
and immediately connected terms,
snd that preliminary tentative
treaty then should be settled upon.
This completed. the German idea is
70 have I'll thc neutrals called in 10
participate in consideration OF Inc
questions OF guarantees for the III
ture They regard il as matter tor
the conference to settle whether. The
neutral nations should become sigma
tory 10 the entire peace treaty or only
to that part having to do with guar
antees for the maintenance OF peace
in the future, such as freedom OF the
seas. Limitation Of armaments. torm&-
ton Of a world league 10 enforce