The sun., 1916-12-13
GERMAN EDITORIALS
SHOW PEACE DESIRE
Careful Press Campaign Paves
Way for Won Bethmann- =.
Hollweg Proposal.
AIM NOT AT CONQUEST
Teuton Papers Reveal End Of
War Is Actually and Sim
cerely Wished.
Ssscssi csois DesssscA to rus Sos.

SsscteI csois DesssscA to THs Sos.
LONDON, Dec. la.-Chancellor Won
Bethmann-Hollweg's peace proposal
came as q staggering surprise to Lon
don. Tit British capital. as we'll as Ber-
lin. had expected . statement Of existing
conditions. with q consideration Of their
possible ultimate effect on peace arrange
ments. but London vas unprepared for
the direct detailed announcement which
was made.
Indeed. the careful publicity which had
been given the announcement that q
speech OF historic Importance was forth
coming In the Reichstag justified the
expectation that such references to peace
A. the Chancellor might mako would be
couched only In vague terms. Only those
who had been following closely the cam
paign which the Berlin government had
been carefully conducting In the German
press realised that anything like .
DEFINITE proposal might be offered.
Extracts from leading German news-
papers leave no room for doubt that the
address was carefully considered and
that peace 10 actually and sincerely de-
sired. Otherwise the publication OF such
editorial articles as are here reproduced
would never have been permitted.
In the minds Of EnElishmen signih-
ca &C attaches to the statement OF the
" carts of Berlin that Our enemies
m, :. not be led to believe h a Germans
Aru. sAA.y Aos fAoN ns
that they desire wal In order to press
the fist Of the conQueror In the backs OF
foreign peoples"
For Mutual Equality.
The vorscdert's editorial follows:
'"will Germany succeed In the innic-
ing that she can dictate her own peace
terms? This 10 q plain question which
demands a plain answer. This answer ID
In accordance with all human caicula-
tions-no conduct Of the Wal must. In
accordance with its own inherent laws,
aspire e victory by destruction.
"A policy Of war. however. must reckon
with possibilities. These possibilities ex-
clude the idea Of q crushing defeat by
Germany. We want peace. but peace
can come only when Il has been brought
about by the conviction on the part OF
our enemies that. though they may not
obtain that peace At which they have
aimed. they may. without humiliation. de-
sire the peace which the German people
want. This must be q peace that can
be concluded on a basis Of mutual equal.
ity. y peace that tAkes nothing from
any party without giving him something
equal In value In return.
"Our enemies must not be led to be.
lieve that the Germans desire peace be-
cause they fear defeat or that they de.
sire war In order 10 press the fist Of the
conqueror In the backs OF foreign PEG.
piles. Let US tell our opponents openly
and frankly that n vast majority OF the
German people never cherished such a
plan; that the minority that did place
his plan on Its programme no longer be-
lieves in its feasibility.
Let US hasten to do this. Then our
assurance will gain credence that the
l40. 100000 subjects OF the Central
Powers and their allies have not been
inc will not be crushed. and that this
will cannot be broken even after years
OF fighting, nor by blows by the most
formidable grouping Of Powers that the
earth has ever witnessed. II. however,
we couple this assurance with the put
ting forward Of unattainsbls war aims
they will take the one and the other as
90 much empty twaddls.
1T iS untrue that the war lasts 70
long because the German war policy IL
bent on destruction and conquest. 1t Is
true. however. that our enemies still
reckon on the collapse OF the Central
Powers. That and that only In the rsa-
son why tho war continues"
Admits Being Deceived.
The Nsuste Nochr1chten OF Lelpsis
Gays:
Let us honestly admit that We have
deceived ourselves In many things that
the course OF h war has been full Of
surprises. France has conducted herself
In a manner contrary 10 anything that
was expected of her. Russia. too. has
developed far greater internal strength
han she had been credited with having.
However. II was England who showed
the world a new face altogether. Her
adoption OF military service-an unex-
ampled sacrifice OF English principles
her organization. her munitions output
and many other things have shown tina
in the veins Of the British people there
still flows some GermRnio blood, and
that England Ii not far behind US IN en-
durance. In valor n In the will to sac
rihce, In n respect she Ia even SUI
perlor and, therefore. In particularly dan
gerous to us-in her capacity for cool,
calculating reasoning to the exclusion Of
all emotional excuses,
Like ourselves the Briton Ia fighting
for his existence. Like us he must win
II he does not wish TO abandon all his
dreams OF world supremacy. That Is
WIN hp has turnadk m deaf aar 10 Ill