The sun., 1916-12-29

fTcSl0ent naS aiTchuy gone toO IhT W
turn back. He is bound TO pay the
Price Of his peace ideals by playing Ger
many's game from nov on. they say.
He can hardly refuse to permit the
Wilhelmstrasse TO use Ambassador
Gerard as the confidential spokesman for
German efforts to persuade the Entente
t. end the war. and he can hardly de-
cline TO exert such pressure for peace.
as Berlin dictates. II IL explained.
Tho broad question which confronts
the President now is whether he will re-
treat at once from his position OF self
constituted mediator or continue In his
role OF peace agent for the German Gov
eminent. A. Entente diplomats look upon
II. There n. they say no other alter
native They do not believe the Pres
ident will retreat from his position. They
doubt II no can do 90 with good grace.
especially as he thrust himself into the
diplomatic negotiations without being
asked.
Be~rnstopR IL sangutne.
Count Won Bernstorff, Il Ia understood.
Believes the President will accomplish
his peace aims by continuing In his
present role. The feeling In German cir
cles Is quite the reverse OF that In the
Entente. Admission Is made frankly
that the United States and German ov-
ernments are working for one and the
same purpose. Prediction Is made freely
that the President will not regret having
added his voice for peace almost stimuli
~taneously with hat Of the Central
Powers.
II the Imperial German Governments
attitude were translated into ordinary
every day language II would be: Mr..
President. stand firmly by us as you
hsve started out to do. nj together we
Will see that the Entente agrees to at
least discuss peace terms.'
In German circles the Idea persists
that the Entente will not close the door
to peace parieys. Reference IL now made
to a conference to establish "prelimi-
nary peace that is. an agreement as to
territorial questions among the bellig-
erents.
Guarantees for Failure.
Then would come. 1t Ia said. such mat
tres as guarantees for the future. free
dem Of the seas. disarmament, the
League to Enforce Peace. &C. at which
conference neutral representatives would
b present.
German diplomats said tonight that
the calling Of a conference by the bel
ligerents was now regarded rs abso-
lutely essential 10 any peace plan. The
Presidents note Is interpreted In these
circles as indorsing that idea.
One Teuton diplomat said he had
talked to hundreds Of persons. including
officials. about the possible peace par
legs and not one Of them q for a
moment believed that a discussion over
peace was possible without a conference
where matters of Importance to the
warning nations could be discussed con-
Adentially.
Teutons Bent 81 Farley.
Admission was made tonight In Teu.
Ten circles that Berlin does not regard
the League to Enforce Peace idea i'm
'portant at this juncture. 1t was pointed
with a touch Of sarcasm that this
plan Of tho Presidents might result
simply In insisting on a guarantee from
the defeated nations that they would
not try to regain what they had lost.
But " President Wilson desires to
have the League to Enforce Peace made
q part Of tho discussions Germany will
accommodate him. Germany would, It
In said. agree to discuss anything at all
provided the Entente agrees to attend
The proposed conference.
a policy Of absolute silence regarding
tho peace negotiations has been adopted
~ President Wilson and Secretary Lam
sing. 1t was stated officially to-day that
all steps henceforth will be regarded
AZ confidential. that no m will
% made on n development and that
rumors will not be discussed in any way.
In many quarters the official atti-
tude was construed as indicating that
secret exchanges were expected to fol-
low II they did not precede the formal
answers OF the Entente nations to the
notes OF President Wilson and the Gen.
tSal Powers.
Text Of German Reply.
The official text OF the German reply.
) which differs slightly in phraseology
sfrom the unofficial. follows:
: The Imperial Government has &C.
fcepted n considered In the friendly
spirit which liz apparent in the COM
munication OF the President (the) noble
initiative OF the President looking to the
creation Of bases for the foundation Of
. lasting peace.
''rhe President discloses the aim
which lies next to his heart and leaves
the choice Of the way open.
"A direct exchange OF views appears
to the Imperial Government as the most
suitable way OF arriving at the desired
result. Thu Imperial Government has
the honor. therefore, in the sense Of its
declaration Of the 18th Instant which
the hand for peace negotiations,
to propose speedy assembly on neutral
ground. Of delegates of the warning
States.
ut is also the view OF the Imperial
Government that the great work for the
prevention OF future wars can first be
taken up only after the ending Of the
present conflict OF exhaustion. The I'm
iperial Government Ia ready. when this
point has been reached. to cooperate
with the United States at this sublime
task"
/, Text Of Austrian Reply.
The text Of the Austrian note. sent
Through Ambassador Penheld. follows +:
aide Memoire-In reply to the aide
smemoire communicated on the twenty
second instant by his Excellency the
American Ambassador containing the
proposals Of the President OF the United
States of America for an exchange Of
views among the Powers at present al
war for the eventual establishment Of
peace. tho imperial n royal Govern
;ment desires particularly to point out
that in considering the noble proposal
of the President it is guided by the
same spirit OF amity and complaisance
fnds expression therein.
Tho President desires to establish q
'basis for q blasting peace without wishing
TO indicate the a and means. The
Imperial n Royal Government consid-
,ers q direct exchange OF views among the
;of attaining this n Adverting to It's
declaration Of the 10Th inst I'm which 4,