The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-13
mo" is ALLIES
REPLY TO TEUTON
PEACE PROPOSAL
British and French, People and
Press, Spurn Offer.
Allies to Consult; May Take
Three Weeks.
CALL OFFER "CLUMSY TRAP"
England Awaits LlOyd-GeOrge's
Speech on Tuesday.
Believe He'll Stand by His
"TO-a-KnOckOut" Policy.
British and French, People and
Press, Spurn Offer.
Allies to Consult; May Take
Three Weeks.
;ALL OFFER "CLUMSY TRAP"

London. Dec. 13-The British peo-
pie have already answered Germanys
offer of peace-''No, not on such
basis as proposed"
That answer was perfectly apparent
today 1t was so reflected not only
in the newspaper comment, but in eX-
pressions from the people of the
streets.
The nation looks to Lloyd-George
next Tuesday to frame this answer.
It cannot be a direct reply. since it is
hardly expected. Englands consulta-
ton with her allies over What form
the diplomatic answer shall be can pe
concluded that soon. But Tuesoay
will be Lloyd Georges first appear
ance as premier before the house of
commons and before news of the Ger
man proposal came, he had peen an
nounced as ready to outline on tnat
date the aims and purposes OF the
new cabinet.
Look to Lloyd-GeOrge.
Press and public alike look to
Lloyd-George on this occasion to voice
the nations rejection of any peace
which is based on Germanys idea OF
her victory.
! Germany's peace terms as given
ont bv a German embassy official in
Washington, were generally regarded
as prebosterous and unworthy of serl-
Gus consideration here
Won't Act Hastily.
The indications are that the various
governments of the entente allies do
! not intend to act hastily in making
Joint response to the peace proposals
of the central powers. 1t was pointed
out in well informed quarters today
| that while each one of the allied gov
1 ernments might indicate its general
attitude, consultation among the allles
I hi limo q n
| action probably would require two or
three weeks.
Find One Pacifist
! Among numerous interviews with
public men gathered by the London
press there is only one advocating ac-
! ceptance of Germany's proposition and
immediate entrance into negotiations.
That is the opinion voiced by Philip
| Snowden. the empires leading pacifist,
who considers that the allies will incur
/ an awful responsibility If they decline.
1t is al least their duty, he holds, to
see whether the German proposals
contain the possibility of ending the
war on conditions reasonable and, as
far as possible, satisfactory to every
body.
Chorus of DerisiOn i'm Paris.
Paris Dec 13-The offer of peace
of Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hol1weg
| is received with a shorus of derision in
the French press. The newspapers are
| unanimous that it is an admission
that the situation is getting critical in
Germany and that the chancellor
wants a way out before 1t is too late.
His move is considered to have the ad
ditional advantage that in the event of
it's failing it will enable him to throw
the blame for the continuation of the
war on the allies. which he hopes will
have a moral effect on Germany and
the neutral nations.
sarirn,a for Points IS Past
"a clumsy trap" is the caption un-
der which the morning papers print
Chancellor Won Hollweg's
speech in the reichstag.
THE time for feints is over says
the Petit Journal I'VE are no longer
| in the presence of the trial efforts of
those persistent appeals to innerview-
ers and newspaper articles Chancel-
lor Won Hollweg summoned the reich
stag, not to hear his speech, but to
be confronted with an act. We do
not know if at Berlin there are people
so naive as to imagine that the allies
are likely to swallow this clumsy bait,
even on the morrow of the events in
Rumania. In any case Field Marshal
Won Hindenburgs statement shows
that the military cherish no such illu-
sion.
What is still more certain is that
treacherous German move aims at
something else than genuine peace.
1t seeks an internal and external eff
feet In Germany it is intended to
convince the people that the govern
ment is not responsible for the con-
tinuatiOn of the struggle. Abroad il
desires TO persuade neutrals that the
allies are pursuing policy of am
bition. That is the explanation of
the pretended moderation in the tone
of the speech
What Will Lloyd George Say?
London, Dec 13.-England is look
ing forward to next Tuesday, when
Premier Lloyd-George will address the
to Germans peace proposal Until
that time, British men and women are
considering but one thing-to con-
tinue the war until a decisive victory
is esta blished.
The statement of Lloyd-George in
his recent interview with the United
Press is cited a the only answer Eng
land should consider until the littl,
Welshman. in whose hands Englands
fortunes have now been placed. ha.
spoken again
In this statement L1oyd-George said:
THE fight must be to finish-to
a knock out.
If the comment of London newspa-
pers is any criterion, England does
not propose to regard the German
peace proposals in any other light
than another German trick
Iau, n