Albuquerque morning journal., 1916-12-28
TeutoniC Diplomats Attach No
Importance to Fact That
Reply Published Fails to
Meet Americas Request,
UTMOST SECRECY IS
BELIEVED PROBABLE
President May Be Informed by
Ambassador Gerard of Con-
ditionS Upon Which Berlin
Would End War,
INV .o.s,so JOURNAL SPECIAL LsAssD ~rsEi

Washington, Dec. Eth spite OF
the wide gulf between the insistence
of the central powers for an lmme-
date peace conference and the fore
cast of a unanimous refusal by the
entente allies to enter such a confer
ence without knowing Germany
terms in advance, the American gov
ernment believes that the negotiations
in progress are resulting in good II
was said with authority tonight that
until the door to peace actually is
closed by one side or the other, Presl-
dent Wilson will continue to hope that
any discussion of the subject will tend
to hasten the end of the war.
Count Won Bernstorff, the German
ambassador, returning Unexpectedly
tonight from New York, authorized
the Associated Press to make the fol-
lowing statement:
4 regard the note of my govern
ment as constituting an acceptance OF
everything suggested by President
Wilson in his note to the belligerehl
nations of Europe"
Ready to Disclose Terms.
1t was made clear at the embassy
that Germany stands ready to make
known her terms on the first day of
any conference that may be held, ana
officials expressed themselves as being
greatly surprised at the view prevail
ing in some quarters here that the
Berlin government had failed to meet
the presidents suggestion by not set
ting down in the reply the terms upon
which it is willing to make peace. The
German diplomats say President VIII
son had no intention of drawing q
public declaration concerning terms
from the central powers. On the con-
trary they think the presidents suB-
gestion that an early occasion pe
sought to call out from all the ma
tions now at war, such an aVoWal OF
their respective views as to the terms
upon which the war might be con-
Guided" has been fully met by Ger
many in seeking an immediate con-
ference with her enemies
German Policy Outlined.
The German policy upon which the
reply to President wilson's communi-
cation is based was outlined as fol-
lows:
germany feels that the conference
suggested by it first should be com
posed of delegates from the belliger-
emf countries, whose duty 1t would be
to settle territorial terms. once these
terms are agreed upon, representa-
tives of the neutrals should be called
in to participate in consideration OF
the questions Of guarantees for the fu-
ture in which neutrals are as Vltally
concerned as bellgerents. These
-suara y as-la-las- q geTMa2---leM. nee
essarily would have to do with the
freedom of the seas, limited dlsarma-
ment. formation of a world league OF
nations to enforce peace, and the es-
tablishment of an international court
of arbitration.
Secret Communication Likely.
Germany is said to consider that
neutral nations can have no interest
in terms relating to territory.
While there were no official advices
upon the subject, the view still per-
sisted in German quarters tonight
that the no.e of the central
powers might be followed by some
highly confidential oral or written
communication to President Wilson,
in which at least broad tentative terms
might be stated. In this connection,
officials noted with interest Berlin
press dispatches saying that Ambas-
sador Gerard, who, as result of his
recent visit to the United States, is
thoroughly familiar with the views OF
President Wilson, had taken lunch
with Alfred Zimmerman, the German
foreign minister, and probably as
cussed the peace situation with him.