St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-12-13
US. MAY OFFER
A PEACE PLAN
Germany's Proposal Believed To
Have Broken Chains Which
Have Prevented Action By
President Wilson
A LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Believed by Washington Officials To
Be Necessary OutcOmc-TeFmS of
Proposal As Gathered From
Recent Dispatch to the
German Embassy

Washington, Dec. 12.-Germany's
proposal of peace is regarded here as
having broken the chains which for
months have restrained the United
States as well as other neutrals from
making offers OF mediation. Now that
one set of belligerents has siguiIied
its willingness to discuss peace terms.
a condition often reiterated as neces-
sary to any action by President Will
son, there are indications that when
the United States acting as the in
termediary transmits the German pro-
posal it may accompany its action by
some step, necessarily delicate, to
throw the influence of the United
States into the balance for at least a
consideration, however preliminary, of
the terms on which a lasting peace
might be brought to the world.
Some ranking officials of the Amer
lean government believe that u leagU
of nations such as President Wilson
suggested must be the outcome and ii
could not be perfected without thC
participation of the United States.
Regardless of whether president
Wilson decides to accompany the Ger
man proposal with any word, it was
said tonight he would unquestionably
take steps to learn the attitude of the
Entente allies toward the peace move
and might possibly send to Europe hi:
personal friend and advisor, Col. L
NJ. House.
The absence of any specific terms
for peace in the note or in the German
| chancellor'S speech was in a measure
a disappointment to those who expect
Cd 70 Of n h.
on which negotiations might begin.
Recent dispatches to the German
EN- bassy covering wide range Of sub
terms might be in substance as fol-
| lows:
A restoration of the status quo he
fore the war. This includes the evac-
uation of Belgium and the restoration
of the occupied portion of northern
France with the exceptions of Alsace
and Lorraine. No authorized express.
sion was obtainable from the EN- bassy
as to whether conditions would be ut
| tached to the restoration of Belgian
and French territory, but it was IN
derstood that the German idea was
! to make provision for the future 1eu.
trality of Belgium and probably pro
pose its identification, particularly Of
| the city of Antwerp. 1t also was TN,
! derstood that no conditions amounting
| to economic control of the minera
| lands of northern France would bt
| likely to be asked.
All of Germany's lost colonies sh.
expects to be returned. The question
of her lost possessions in the Pacif.,
is not of great concern. The securit.
of Turkey in possession of Constantine
| ople probably would be insisted upo.
by the Central Powers as well as Ii,
! restoration of Albania.
The establishment Of the indepead
ent Kingdoms of Poland and Lithua
MIA would be one of the factors in tn
German proposal although that por
! ton of Poland in possession of til,
\ Germans previous to the outbreak o
the war would be retained.
The Balkan situation is consid srec
Y SO delicate as to require special 1a
1 ference Of nations to dispose of X.