The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-24
German Advances viii Re-
ceive Deserved Consideration.
That Is the Dictum Issued by
the Earl of Derby.
FIRST ENCOURAGING WORD
Washington Agreeably Sur
prised by Statement.
Diplomats Believe Peace May
Be Nearer Than Supposed.

Washington, Nov. 24.-Official and
diplomatic Washington was taken
agreeably by surprise today by the
peace dictum of the Earl of Derby,
British under secretary of war. His
declaration that any peace proposals
from Germany will receive the con-
sideration they deserve" was said to
be the first utterance of the kind,
holding out any promise of possible
peace, emanating from a responsible
member of the British government.
Diplomatists especially viewed the
declaration as hint from Britain that
reason and discussion may prevail
where force has failed. The earls as
sertion that 1.-The allies can not enter
tain an idea of peace which does not
give them what they are fighting for
was interpreted by diplomats to mean
that there is no clearly defined pur-
pose on the part of any of the belliger-
ents at the present moment to over
come the enemy, which to date has
been proved impossible of accomplish
ment
What Do They Fight For?
A discussion of peace terms among
the belligerents. it was said, alone
could discover the objects of the war
so that the belligerents themselves
might understand them. All are now
fighting blindly; the objects of the
war as stated at the commencement
are ignored. A diplomat of the high
est standing said today:
The allies can not saw thew are
1ghting to give Constantinople to
Russia and to restore Poland to Rus
sia. Germany is known to be ready
to restore Belgium and to return to
france her occupied territory. Aus
tria-Hungary is willing to cede a por-
tion OF Galicia to Russia and probably
the rest to new Poland; she is also
willing to cede to Italy a portion of
the territory in possession of Italian
troops.
Can't Crush Germany.
Questions of compensation, of eco
nomic arrangements and collateral
problems can only be settled by the
peace. What else remains? If the
allies should insist Germany be
crushed. they know that they will
nave to face many years of terrific
lighting with expenditures of men and
treasure that will not pay them for
any advantage they might gain and
the world would then know that the
allies were fighting really for con-
quest. Lord Derby has indicated that
there must be discussion to end the
war and that only discussion can end
it,"
This authority who is in a position
to know the official attitude of the
.DAAeA'AA 7ONSl iiiiiClI DIS well as InaI OF
Germany, the two predominant bel
llgerents. toward peace, continued:
Peace May Be Near.
Peace may be nearer at hand than
is commonly supposed. 1t appears to
be beyond doubt however, that neither
England nor Germany will make the
initial move, and that the discussion
must be opened by some neutral
friendly to both governments All the
neutral world is of the opinion that
only one power is in a position to
speak with such convincing force that
the belligerents would hesitate long
before turning a deaf ear to it. That
power is the United States.
AS a diplomatist, l think President
wilson has it within his power to
bring the war to a close 1 don't be-
lieve he would suggest an arinistice
or truce, but would mako n blunt
statement to the warning nations.
rather than an appeal even
The presidents most effective pIan
would be, l believe, to prepare an
ldentic note, send it to the state de-
partment for transmission to every
ambassador and ninisteT.
abroad for delivery to the govern
ments to which they are Accredited
and after its delivery to publish r."