The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
TERMS
DRAFTED AHEAD
OF PEACE PLEA
Government Ready to Name
Conditions in Event Entente
Decides to Treat.
By the international New. servIe.

(By the international News seryIce.D
Berlin, Dec. l3.-The terms upon which
Germany and her allies are ready TO
make peace are formulated and will be
submitted to the entente powers as soon
as the latter have signified their willing
ness to enter into negotiation.
From the expressions gathered in the
corridors Of the Reichstag shortly after
yesterdays historic session 1t became
clear that the majority Of the members
OF the German Parliament heartily favor
Germany's peace move. To be sure, there
were many expressions on the part of the
opponents Of the chanceIlor's policy urg-
ing that peace should be made only upon
a basis Of woe to the conquered
The consensus of opinion, however. was
that the peace move is timely and that
whatever be the reception accorded IT in
the entente countries. it will prove ad-
yantageous to the central powers.
Likely to Reject Offer.
London. Dec. I3-That the entente
powers will summarily reject the peace
proposals OF Germany and her allies was
taken as a foregone conclusion today.
England and the allied nations are not
being misled into the opinion that Ger
many is weakening. according to the
view taken by the press. Even while the
note containing the German pro- Isals
were being written Germany was taking
steps TO carry on the war more vigor-
ously than ever. It is declared.
3 Ths -Rotserdam- sorrespcndent Of the
Ta-n AZ a. n
German peace note, which was handed
to the ENJOYS of the United States, Spain
and Switzerland and to the Vatican as
well, was written by the Kaiser.
His telegram follows:
81 understand the notes were handed
to the Ambassadors of the neutral
powers last evening. This was done by the
chancellor in the name of the Kaiser
The chancellor had returned from field
headquarters on Saturday. The note
was drafted personally by the Kaiser
after a conference at headquarters with
King Ludwig, of Bavaria. Won Bethmann-
Hollweg, and DIR. Zimmerman. the
foreign secretary.
Leaders Kept in DARK.
The leaders OF political parties in the
Reichstag were not let into the secret
until this morning when they were re-
ceived by the German foreign secretary
The majority of the Reichstag deputies
were in the dark ''~tu the very last mo-
ment &C
There had been well-founded reports
that the momentous session of She Ger
man Reichstag yesterday would deal with
peace and the offer TO enter into nego-
tiations did not take England and her
allies entirely by surprise.
1t is a fateful coincidence that the
peace offer comes just at a time when
the British and French governments are
being strengthened for the purpose OF
prosecuting the war more vigorously than
ever before.
Some of the military critics belieYe
that a formal rejection OF Germany
peace proposals will result in methods OF
warfare by land and sea more ruthless
than those va attempted in the world
conflict. 1t had been intimated by Won
Hindenburg. the German chief OF stan.
that a rejection of German peace over
lures would open the door for unlimited
and drastic endeavors to bring about
victory. 1t is possible and many persons
believe very probable, that Germany's
first step in this direction will be the
inauguration OF a relentless submarine
warfare upon allied shipping
II is believed likely that Premier Lloyd
George will deliver a special speech upon
peace in Parliament soon setting forth
the exact and definite attitude of Eng
land and her allies.