Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-12-31

gotiations.
The German proposal is not an Of
fer of peace The proposition appears
more like war maneuver than an Of
fer of peace.
GERMANY WANTED WAR.
AS far as the past is concerned, the
(German) note ignores facts, dates and
figures showing that Germany wanted,
provoked and declared the war.
AT The Hague it was q German
delegation that refused disarmament
proposal.
In July, 1914, it was Austria that
declared war on Serbia. The central
powers refused all attempts to stop the
conflict; they refused Englands offer
for conferences; Frances offer for
an International commission and the
cars arbitration proposal
Belgium was invaded by the empire
which proclaimed that treaties were
scraps of paper.
THE EUROPEAN WAR MAP.
"So-called offers based upon the
European war map DO not express
the truth of the situation, nor the
real strength of the adversaries
Peace made upon this basis
would be to the advantage of the
aggressors, who hoped to attain
their aim in two months
They have found, after two
years, that they never will attain
their aim.
FOR the future Germany. does not
respeak the necessary guarantees, The
ruins provoked by the war and all the
acts lof the central powersl against
the tights of men, both against adver-
saries and neutrals, call for repara
tons
A GERMAN MADE PEACE.
THE proposal of the central powers
is an attempt to start an evolution
which would finally end in a German
made peace. 1t has been made in order
to disturb opinion in the allied coun-
tries and to reaffirm German public
opinion, so gravely hurt by losses.
economical shortage and crushed by
the supreme effort demanded from
everyone
The proposal was made in order to
seek to intimidatl neutrals, who know
where the responsibilities lay and who,
foreseeing Germany'sl aim, will not
abandon the defense of human liber-
ties.
The (German) note attempts to
make legitimate in the eyes of the
world in the future the crimes of
submarine warfare deportation
and obligatory service against our
own eountrymen, and the viola
tons of neutralities.
1t is in the full consciousness of the
gravity and also of the necessity of the
hour that the allied governments
closely allied in perfect accord and
their peoples refuse to discuss the pro-
rosal which is no. sincere and is I'M
important
PREPARATION NECESSARY.
The allies once more affirm that
peace is impossible until there is rep
aration for the violated liberties and
rights and recognition of the principle
of nationality and free existence for
small countries.
Peace is Impossible until a rule IS
made that definitely will suppress the
causes of war now menacing the ma
tions. and until effieacious guarantees
are given for the security of tho
world
Then follows a formal protest by
dSdiiiSt ny
Germany against the Belgian people,
with an assurance from the Belgian
Ling and his country that they do not
desire any other peace than one based
on legitimate PREPARATIONS and guaran-
tees Tor the future.
SELGIuM,S SPECIAL eTATUS.
The conclusion, which carries Bel
GUMS protest, puts forward certain
considerations as showing the special
situation as regards Belgium. 1t then
recites that as result of international
treaties signed by five powers. includ-
ing Germany, Belgium enjoyed before
the war a special status rending her
inViolable. and placing her .nder a
guarantee outside all European con-
flicts.
I'm spite of these treaties Belgium
WAS the first to suffer from the ag-
gression of Germany" the note de-
clares. For this reason the Belgium
government thinks it is necessary to
define the aims which Belgium has
never ceased to pursue while fighting
under the entente for right and JUS
tice.
Belgium, before the war, asked
nothing, but now seeks the re-estab-
lishment of peace and justice assur-
ing the country's legitimate reparation
and guarantees of safeguards for the
FUTURE