Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-12-21
DUMA BARS PEACE
PASSES RESOLUTION AGAINST
ACCEPTING GERMANY'S PRO-
POSAL TO END WAR.
SEE DANGER OF ANOTHER WAR
Considers Lasting Peace Will Be Pos.
sbIe Only After a Decisive Victory
Over Military Power of the Enemy
Allies to Answer Note.

Over Military Power of the Enemy
Allies to Answer Note.
London, Dec. 18.-A dispatch to Reu-
tiers Telegraph company from Petro.
grad says:
1.-THE duma has unanimously passed
a resolution against the acceptance of
the German peace proposals after a
spirited speech by the minister Of for
eign affairs"
Stand Taken by Duma.
The text of the resolution as re-
ceived here follows:
1.-THE duma, having heard the state
ment by the minister of foreign affairs,
unanimously favors a categorical re-
fusal by the allied governments to
enter, under present conditions. into
any peace negotiations whatever.
1T considers that the German pro-
posals are nothing more than fresh
proof of the weakness of the enemy
and hypOcritical act from which the
enemy expects no real success, but by
which it seeks to throw upon others
the responsibility for the war and for
what happened during it and to ex-
culpate itself before public opinion in
Germany.
Danger of Another War.
1.-THE duma considers that a prema-
ture peace would be not only brief
period of calm but would involve the
danger of another bloody war and re-
newal Of the deplorable sacrifices by
the people. 1t considers that lasting
peace will be possible only after a de-
cisive victory over the military power
of the enemy and after definite renun-
citation by Germany of the aspiration
which makes her responsible for the
world war and for the horrors by which
1t has been accompanied"
Plan to Reply to Note.
London, Dec. 18.-Public opinion, as
represented by the British press, is
largely occupied in discussing the brief
expression made by Andrew Bonar
Law, the government leader in the
house of commons, that the British
governments policy still was based on
"adequate reparation for the past and
security for the future"
It is noticeable that several infiu-
entail newspapers take the view that
this leaves the way open for policy
Of not summarily refusing to consider
Of the essential aims and objects for
which the entente allies are contend
ing. The Manchester Guardian, re-
aecting provincial sentiment, and the
Westminster Gazette are among the
newspapers taking this view.
Refusal If in Offensive Form.
The Westminster Gazette says if the
German proposal takes an offensive
form and appears as if demanded by
conquerors from the vanquished the
only reply to the insult would be con-
temptuOus silence and continues:
'But if it is sincere we should de-
sire to answer with a reasonable ex-
PLANTATION of why our principal aims
cannot be compromised and what
kind of European system we think
y
England Asks Pay.
London, Dec. 15.-Andrew Bonar
Law, chancellor of the exchequer, said
in the house of commons that no pro-
posals for peace had yet been re-
ceived by the British government from
the central powers. He added that
the entente allies required adequate
reparation for the past and adequate
security for the future.
Britain Given Offer of Peace.
London, Dec. 19.-The peace note of
the central powers was handed to the
British government by Walter III. Page,
the American ambassador. The note
was handed by Ambassador Page to
the recipient made no reference to the
question of peace, simply thanking Mr..
Page for the transmission of the mes
sage from the central powers.
The note will be considered by the
British cabinet. The next step after
the meeting of the cabinet will be to
get into communication with the allies
of Great Britain so that joint action
may be taken.
The presentation of the German note
to the entente allied governments has
now practically been accomplished.
Premier Lloyd Georges speech in the
house of commons is expected to show
the general attitude of the British gov