The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-29
1EUION TERMS ARE
KNOWN THOUGH
NOT STATED
Germ ans Want Their r0'onies
BSCk From the Allies
RESTITUTION BY BOTH SIDES
viii Yield Their Holdings If the Al
lice viii Give Up What They
Have Captured.

Washington, Dec. 2S.-Coincident
with the receipt here today of the Off
cial responses of Germany and Aus
tria to President Wilson's peace note
of Dec. IS. an outline was obtained of
the basic principles upon which the
Central Powers would be willing to
negotiate for an ending Of the war
1t cannot be asserted that this outline
is official, but it comes from the best
sources of authoritative information,
and no doubt is felt that it correctly
represents the position of Germany
and her allies.
Count Won Bernstorff, the German
Ambassador, is credited with having
received from Berlin detailed instruc-
tions TO guide him in representing his
government in every phase of efforts
toward peace which may in any way
involve his intercourse with the VIII
son Administration. One intimation
heard today was that these instruc-
tions had been brought TO this coun-
try by the German merchant subma-
rine Deutschland on her last trip
when she made port at New London,
Conn. and was visited there by the
German envoy.
What stands out in the understand
ing obtained of Germanys position
with regard to peace negotiations is
that the Central Powers will not con-
70 N Icf 4
and other German colonies now in the
possession of their enemies as COM
pensation for injury done to Belgium
and other territory invaded by the
German forces.
The German position is that If Bel
GUM was made to suffer unjustly
through the German invasion, Ger
many also has an account to settle
with her enemies because of the de-
vastation done in East Prussia, while
Austria feels that under the same con-
ditions she is entitled to some consid-
eration because of the havoc wrought
in Galicia and in parts of Transylvan-
la. The Central Powers, 1t is con-
tended can hardlylbe expected to give
up Belgium or other enemy territory
occupied by the forces of the Central
Powers unless under an arrangement
by which German territory held by
the Entente is restored to the German
Government. 1t is realized here
that in view of what was said by Mr..
Lloyd George in his speech OF Dec. 10,
insistence by the Central Powers up
on such a condition might bring the
effort to initiate peace proceedings to
a sudden end.
In quarters. where the position OF
the Central Powers is known, and
where predictions as to the course of
action this group will pursue in GER
tain circumtances are usually veri-
fled, it was asserted today that the
German response to President Will
sons note Of Dec. Is was not an evas-
ion of what was called for by the
President, but an acceptance in prin-
ciple of all that the President sug-
gested. In suggesting that the first
move toward peace should be the as
sembling OF delegates of both groups
of belligerents in some neutral place
Germany. it was said, was following
historical precedent.
The maing of peace had always
been the outcome of a preliminary
of the belligerents and no
other method of procedure was known
it was said. The assertion was made
that in his recent note to the belliger-
ents President Wilson did not ask the
Central Powers for their peace terms,
but merely asked that they suggest a
method of arranging for an exchange
OF ideas and a sounding of views.
Germany, 1t was contended, had
answered the President by proposing
that delegates from the two groups
of belligerents be assembled to dis
cuss the matters suggested by the
President.