Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-15

a nation of tigers and murderers and
statesmen who regard all treaties as
scraps of paper would be worth the
paper and ink. SO long as Germany is
not completely and decisively beaten no
peace with her can be more than truce
which she would violate the first mo-
ment it served her purpose. II woulo
not save us money or effort, Tor we
would still have to spend every availa-
BILE penny in preparation for Germany's
next treacherous blow. 1t is better ana
cheapr far to fight on"
The German proposal is emphatlcaAy
rejected by the Times, which says
"Germany's proposal bears no relation
whatever to the objects for which we
are lighting. She has been try
ing by all the means at her disposal
to induce US to make the suggestion OF
mediation. The attempt has lan1entaoly
and conspicuously failed and, as she
does not judge that any neutral power
could proffer mediation with much adj
vantage, she falls back on this indirec:
offer to the belligerents as a pts aller.
1t is above all things a symptom of
her conscious weakness. The
allies must absolutely reject any idea
of mediation in any shape and from any
quarter as long as the basis proposed
Is the triumph of might and not right.
They must refuse with equal firmness to
even talk about an armistice until the
lands which the enemy has overrun are
restored and compensation made. They
must renew the enunciation Of their
peace terms, laid once for all in Mr.. AS
cuith's Guild Hall speech. and must re-
double their efforts to force these terms
upon Germany and her accomplices.
MUST MAKE REPLY.
The Daily News, while urging the
people not to pay too much attention
to "the chancellor's arrogant invita-
tion," says the entente allies must not
commit the fatal blunder of refusing
TO enter into negotiations because the
Teutons are evidently playing an astute
diplomatic game.
TT Is true that the allies cannot en-
ter into peace negotiations on the basis
of DR.. Won Observation-Disclosures offer"
says the Daily News, but they must
put their case before the enemy and
before the world must state the terms
on which they are prepared to nego-
tiate and throw upon Germany the re-
sponsibility of rejecting or accepting
that basis for negotiation. The terms
may be high. as the crimes Of Germany
warrant and dictate.
They may be terms at which Germany
Il,
Zig terms will put US right with the
world. with cur own people and with the
men doing duty in the trenches, who
want to know what they are doing it
for A mere non possumus will be IA
tai mistake and will be the greatest
diplomatic victory Germany has achieved
n the war. We must not permit her to
have that victory"
ALLIES TERMS.
The Chroniele says: Germany can
have peace any day on our terms. If
She has any doubt as to those terms she
IAN always inquire OF us. We have al
WAYS urged the disarmament Of the
Prussian military machine and the sur
render or destruction Of its navy and
the whole of it's artillery. We doubt
whether the nightmare of further com
petition in ornaments leading TO a fur
Their war, can pc got rid of on any less
terms"
Sir William Dunn, lord mayor of Lon
Ion, said:
Rather conscious of ultimate defeat,
the Germans are making a virtue Of ne
eessity. There will be no peace signed
by this country unles it is peace &C
ceptabIe TO all the entente powers and
in accordapce with their wishes. This
IS probably the first overture. Knowing
cad to something better"
General Sir OMoore Creagh, who sue
ceeded Lord Kitchener as cOmmande-in-
chief in India in 1909, ridiculed Ger
manys offer. He saiG:
my opinion can be expressed in q.
few words: L can only characterize this
official peace offer as pure rubbish"
General Creagh retired from the army
in 1914 after forty-seven years of serv-
ice. Since then he has been active in
organizing the British volunteers.
The Daily Telegraph today prints
prominently the following:
I'VE have received information from
an unimpeachable source that the CEN
trail powers recently offered peace TO
Belgium on the following terms: The
Belgians are invited to insist upon i'm
mediate peace. In return for this their
country will be restored to them, its
independence guaranteed and financial
assistance given for its economic re-
habilitation.'
"In the event of these terms being
refused, the intimation has been given
Selgium that her very existence-her
monuments, her public buildings and
even her towns--is threatened"
Or Won Bethmann-Hopweg' cries Of
'Kamarad' will not weaken English de-
terminationu to continue the struggle"
says the Globe. Addressing the chancel-
Tor, the newspaper continues:
I'VE did not seek this bloody business,
but being in It, we mean 10 make a
clean job Of it. There is no statesman
in the British empire who dares to talk
to us such peace as that of which you
dream. We must Stay or be slain. Our
duty is clear"