Connecticut western news., 1916-12-28

Expected by Diplomats In Washing
 ton to Follow Lead of United States
 and Switzerland - BeIigerents Must
 Bow to World Request and State
 Terms.
 Hope for peace in Europe has been dashed, but not destroyed, by Ger many's refusal to satisfy President Wilson's demand for peace terms.
 There are two differing views in Washington of the effect of the Ger man note on the neutral efforts. toward peace. Administration officials while refusing to discuss the possibilities were clearly pessimistic.
 They took the view that Germany by diate meeting for belligerent states had rejected the presidents proposal that both groups of belligerents set forth their peace terms.
 This, the state department believes, takes the entire matter out of the pres idents hands at least so far as further initiative efforts are concerned It places squarely before the entente pow CTS Germany's insistence on the un- trammeled consideration of terms in conference.
 Other NeutraIs Still Hopeful.
 Neutral diplomatic circles did not ell tirely share the pessimism of the ad- ministration. They believed Germanys note would not halt the concerted ac- &hH dorsement of the presidents peace program, and they insisted that all hope for peace should not be aban- doned until all of the pressure of con certed neutral action had been brought to bear. Several neutral representa- tives said Germany in her note went as far as she could" and asserted that the peace move would be continued.
 There are two possible lines of diplo- matic development to which the peace advocates, with the president at their head pinned their hopes:
 The vague and unlikely possibility that the entente powers would not flat ly reject Germany's suggestion in her note to the United States that a peace conference be called immediately. The positive attitude of the entente powers as outlined by Premier Lloyd Georges recent speech to the British parliament and the apparent unanimity of Great Britain's allies ill determination to con- tinue the war made this hope tenuous one.
 The possibility that Germany despite her formal refusal might by informal communication place i'll the hands of the United States a statement of peace terms to be kept secret until similar statement is forthcoming from the en tente powers.
 Expect Spain to Act.
 Spain is expected to be one of the first neutrals to send a note to the bel. ligerent powers asking them to accept MT. Wilson's proposals and offering her services. In fact, the belief is ex- pressed that if such a note had not al. ready been dispatched it is certainly in process of preparation.
 It has become known that imme. diately after the receipt here of the German note to the allies asking for a discussion of possible terms of peace Dr. Paul Ritter, the Swiss minister. and Don Juan Rieno, Spanish ambas sador, called upon Secretary Lansing and offered formally to act with the United States in obtaining considera. tion of the German proposals.
 Another diplomat, discussing the sit uation, referred to the peace band wagon and expressed the opinion that there would soon be a scramble of the neutral governments to get aboard. He indicated his belief that practically all the countries not now involved in the war would ultimately follow the lead of the United States and that the pres sure would become so great the bellig- erents could no longer resist it.
 Strong resentment is expressed at neutral embassies and legations over insinuations in English newspapers that the action of the United States and Switzerland had been prompted by q desire to promote the German game" A man we'll informed regarding the sentiments prevailing at the Swiss le- gation declared that these insinuations were an insult to Switzerland and the United States.
 President Wilson is receiving an enormous number of tclcgrams and letters commenting his course. It was stated at the White House that no such