Arizona republican., 1916-12-27

their heads in a moose. with the rope end in the hands of the Germans IL is not beyond the realm of diplomacy. however to find a way tO bridge that difficulty and Germany's failure is not regarded as q block to the negotiations although it makes them exceedingly difficult.
 Germany's declaration that she re- gards the work of securing the world against future wars the work to he taken up after the present conflict was ended was regarded with diversity Of opinion.
 officials who turned back and com pareG the statement with the para graphs of President Wilson's note did not find the two oat of harmony. nor in disagreement with the presi- dents public utterances on a world league to preserve peace; yet there was an indefinite opinion abroad in official quarters that the ending of the war and the safeguarding oi peace of the future were joint problem so inseparable that one de- nended upon the other. Those taking this view referred to Lloyd George s declaration that the allies would con- slider it possible to enter d confer ence only if Germany would first openly offer reparation. restitution and guarantees.
 The German reply is regarded as not only failing to do this, but its suggestion that the work be left for the future it is feared. may raise a difficult obstacle for the allied states men to surmOunt with their own people to whom an absolutely dur able peace has been held out as one of the main differences of the war. It also has been sheafed by the allied statesmen with the terms which would end the conflict.
 Unpopular as such a conclusion might be in the entente countries, the very enormity of the subject, viewed in the cold light of diplomacy is regarded here as sufficient to re- quire a separate conference. but one which might properly be entertained, at the peace meeting
 One suggestion is that the confer enee might bind the belligerents in q solemn declaration and pledge to carr,- cut reorganization of the in ternational balance and leave the actual details such as demobiliZation. limitation of armamanet, military bu1eets and the like for separate conference nuammeled by the diff ficulties sure to surround the first meeting The difficulties which nearly broke up the first Hague peace conference were recalled today as an indication of what would confront the delegates.
 Germany's proposal for an immedi- ate meeting Of delegates a neutral place" is received as admittedly much more specific than the original pro- posal to "entcr forthwith into peace negotiations and to go even further for, that "sOpndings he taken" This alone is singled out by those who regard the reply as q step toward neace. 6e- spite the repeated declaration of al lied statesmen. that it was impossible without a statement of Germa1Ys $ terms They expect these two posi- tinns apparently far apart to be reoonriled bv the art of diplomacy
 Few far the United States can or will be conccrred in that can only be decided hv President Wilson. Of ficials assume that Germany expects the United States to inform her enemies on her reply.
 Two features of the note beclOuded the situation slightly and caused eoTne concern am0ng officials here. The first was the giving out of the fe1t in Berlin before it has oppor- tunity to reach Washington. and the other was the connection of the reply with the original German peace pro- posal, President Wilson went tc great pains in his note to disavow any association of influence with this nroposal, and the assocation in the German reply was somewhat dis Guietng to officials who foresee the necessity of probably reiterat1ng inc poaition Of this "overnrent.
 Pending rcccipt of he official tevt attention turns to the reply of the entente governments Al their em- haesies here the view prevails that their answer while expressing svm- nathetic rePard for the presidents purposes and ideals. will decline to ncgotia.e on the status quo. The entente rer1y tO the German proposals is expected 10 be couched in the sharrest language. probably taking onDortnnitY 10 laV stress on the moral questions to which their states mon have devoted much attention in pThlic utterances.
 Dispatches today from Petrograd outing the official view there. fore rtndowing that the allies, would not hiecues peace terms until they stood in military nossession of territory they claim attracted much attention