The Sentinel=record., 1916-12-29

Washington, Dec. 2S.--A policy of absolute silence regarding the peace negotiations has been adopted by President Wilson and Secretary Ian. 'sing. It was stated officially today that all steps henceforth will be re. .garded as confidential, that no com ment will be made on any develop. ment and that rumors will not be dis. cussed in any way.
 The decision to pursue this course was made known after the state de .partment had received the officia, texts of the German and Austrian re. plies to President Wilson's identical notes to the belligerents pro osap discussion Of peace terms and after it was learned that the Teutonic pew. CTS would be willing to permit con. tidential exchange of tentative terms. if it became necessary to do so to bridge the gap threatening 10 preyen' a gathering of peace delegates.
 In many quarters the official atti, tude was construed as indicating that
 secret exchanges were expected tc follow if they did not precede the for ma, answers of the entente nations 70 the notes of President Wilson and the central powers, Because of the high- ly confidential nature of any such ne. gotiations, it is pointed out the in teTmediary would be obliged to re Train from admitting even that they were in lro2ress.
 So far Is the entente governments are concerned. it is understood that little, if any. confidential information has reached here to shed more light on their attitude than has been given publicly in the speeches of their IT, miers and the comment of their press. Consequently there is no disposition here to doubt that the allies unani- mously will refuse to enter any sort of peace conference until Germany has indicated clearly on that condi. tions she will stop fighting.
 On the TeutoniC side while the re. ply to President Wilson is regarded by tho German embassy as complying with President Wilson's suggestion , offering a method of procedure, Ger. many is said to be willing to consider other suggestions regarding methcds from aay quarter including Der enc mics.
 The views Of the German govern ment are represented as being q fo,- lows:
 If the entente considers that guar antees for the future are the principal elements to be achieved and lacking in the German government insists upon knowing something of the guarantees that Germany is will ing to give. the Berlin government might make some declaration regard ing the principles to which she is will ing to subscribe, leaving details for settlement at the proposed confidence The German government considers that there is but little to be gained by going into any lengthy discussion >f guarantees for the future with the present war in pr9oress. In this con nection. Germany it is asserted, never has intended that the conser- ence suggested should result imme- diately in the establishment of peace. It is considered that the first col- ference necessarily would be of q pre- llmiaary nature to determine whethe; it might not be possible to end the war.
 According to the German diplomats the plan Germany is proceeding upon would provide that the delegates should first agree upon territorial and immediately connected terms and that preliminary tentative treaty then should be settled upon. This com pleted the German idea is to have all the neutrals called ia to participate in consideration of the questions of guar antees for the future. They regard 1t