Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-21
BRITISH PREMIER NAMES TERMS
Complete Restitution, Full Reparation
and Effectual Guarantees For Future

liie ueIIIdH pcdCc pIOpOSdlS, dIleT Il
spirited speech by the minister of for
eign affairs"
M. Pokrovsky. in his speech to the
duma said:
Sin addressing you Immediately upon
having been appointed minister of for
eign affairs | am not in a position
to give you a detailed statement on
the political situation, but feel CON
strained to inform you without delay
and with the supreme authorization of
his imperial majesty of the attitude
of the Russian government regarding
the application of our enemies, of
which you have heard through news
kilograms. Words of peace coming
from the side which bears the whole
burden of responsibility for the world
conflagration which it started and
which is unparalleled in the annals of
history. however far back one goes,
were no surprise to the allies.
"In the course of the two and one
bali years of war Germany has more
than once mentioned peace. She
spoke of 1t to her armies and her
people each time she entered upon
a military operation which was to be
decisive. After each military success
she put out feelers for separate peace
on one side and another and conducted
a propaganda in the neutral press. All
these efforts have met with calm and
determined resistance by the allied
powers.
"Seeing now that she Is powerless
to make breach in our unshakeable
alliance. Germany makes an official
proposal to open peace negotiations.
In substance the German proposal con-
tains no tangible indications regard
ing the nature of the peace which is
desired by the enemy armies which
devastated and occupied Belgium, Ser
bia and Montenegro and part of
France, Russia and Rumania.
"The Russian government repudi-
ates with indignation the mere idea
Of suspending the struggle, thereby
permitting Germany to take advan-
tage of the last chance ishe will have
of subjecting Europe to her hegemony
The innumerable sacrifices already
made would be in vain If premature
peace were concluded with an enemy
whose forces have been shaken but
not broken and an enemy who is seek
ing breathing space by making de
ceitful offers of a permanent peace.
"In this inflexible decision, Russia
is in complet eagreement with all her
valiant allies. We are all equally con
vinced of the vital necessity of car
rying on the war to victorious enc
and no subterfuge by our enemies viii
prevent us from following this patti
to the end"
The text of the resolution regard
ing the German peace proposals a!
received here follows:
"The duma, having heard the state
ment by the minister of foreign af
fairs, unanimously favors a categori
cal refusal by the allied government
to enter, under present conditions
! into any peace negotiations what
; ever
'It considers that the German pre-
J posals are nothing more than fresl
proof of the weakness of the enem
and a hypocritical from which tn
: enemy expects no real success, bu
by which it seeks to throw upon other
: the responsibility for the war and TO
what happened during it. and to e,
culpate itself before public opinio
: in Germany.
I The duma considers that pr'
mature peace would not only be
brief period Of calm, but would il
! volve the danger of another blood
a war and renewal of the deplorabl
i sacrifices by the people It conside,
" that lasting peace will be possibl
u only after decisive victory over til
T. military power of the enemy and a
u ter definite remuneration by German
q of the aspirations which render he
" responsible for the world war and ft
the horrors by which it has been a
e companied."