The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-12-13
America May Now Play Her
Part to Bring About Peace
Continued from Page One)
rope his personal friend and adviser
Col. e. NJ. House.
NO COMMENT MADE


rope his personal friend and adviser
Col. e. NJ. House.
NO COMMENT MADE
None of the official dispatches had ar
rived tonight. The governments first
information was conveyed in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches from Berlin. Pres
ident Wilson was said to be deeply in
terested, but reserving comment Sec
rotary Lansing maintained similar at
titure. The cabinet discussed the devel-
olment at it's regular Tuesday meeting
but the situation was described by mem
bers as SO obviously delicate that no an
nouncement could be made.
The advance of any specific terms for
peace in the note or in the German
chancellor's speech was in a measure a
disappointment to those who expected
some concrete expression of a basis on
which negotiations might begin. The
German embassy. however, is in possess
sion of advices which outline in a gen.
eral way what Germany expects and the
diplomats of the entente powers, through
their means of being supplied with In
formation, believe they have general
idea of what terms the central powers
are willing to advance as the basis for
discussion. Recent dispatches to the Ger
man embassy indicate a belief that the
general terms might be in substance as
follows:
THE STATUS QUO
A restoration of the status quo exist
ing before the war. This includes the
evacuation of Belgium and the restora-
ton of the occupied portions of northern
France with the exception of Alsace and
Lorraine. No authorized expression was
obtainable from the embassy as to
whether conditions would be attached to
the restorationof Belgium and French
territory, but it was understood that the
German idea was to make provision for
the future neutrality of Belgium and
probably propose liberalization, particu-
larry of the city of Antwerp. 1t was also
understood that no conditions amount
ing to economic control of the mineral
lads of northern France would be likely
to be asked. All Germany's lost colo
MES she expects to be returned. Her pos
sessions In the Pacific. however, are not
Of great concern and the Berlin gov
eminent is understood to be ready to
relinQuish the claim on Kiauchau. The
security Of Turkey in possession OF Con-
stantinople probably would be insisted
upon by the central powers, as well as
the restoration of Albania.
GERMAN POLAND EXCLUDED
The establishment OF Independent king
doms In Lithunia and Poland would be
one OF the factors In the German pro-
posal. although that part Of Poland pos
sessed by Germany st the outbreak of
the war would not be included.
What adjustment would be made to
cover the Trentino region between Aus
tria and Italy, or any provisions affect
ing Egypt, tho Suez canal, Mesopotamia
or the gateways of control to the Indian
empire are not made clear in German
quarters here. The Balkan situation is
considered SO delicate it would have to
be untangled In the peace conference
The whole German view of the peace
move is that it Is a step toward a dis
cussion of peace terms. which. II 1t
amounts to anything. ought to show some
definite progress early in January. There
is said to BIO no possibility of a peace
conference being held in the United
States. Berne and Tho Hague are men,
toned as most likely places. and 1t is
not doubted that Count Won Bernstorff,
the German ambassador here. would 60
as one Of his country's representatives.