Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-12
PEACE move
SURPRISE IN
... . WASHINGTON.
Offer BY Central Powers
Wholly Unexpected in
Official Circles.
RUSSIAN REFUSAL
FORCED CRISIS
failure to Negotiate sepa-
rate Peace With Petrosrad Govern
nent Believed to Have Hastened
Move to End Entire War-United
States Only Asked to Act as Mes.
senser in Transmitting Proposals.

Washington, Dec. 12.-News that
Germany and her allies were about to
enter on peace negotiations, was i'm
mediately sent to President Wilson.
Speaking for the president, Secretary
Tumulty said he was deeply interested
but could make no comment, at least
until it was learned what reception the
proposal received FROM the entente
allies.
The state tiepartns received its
first information of Germany's pro-
posal from the Associated Press dis
patches, from which 1t was assumed
the offices OF the neutrals addressed
are asked only6to transmit the pro-
posais: This swill be done, so far as
tie United States is concerned.
promptly on receipt Of the. official dis
pa tehes in Washington They win be
forwarded toe OIL countries where the
United States represents the central
powers automatically. f
Whether the United States would
make any suggsstion depends entirely
upon the naturs of the proposals. II
the offer is deemed one on which all
sides might negotiate, the United
States probably would urge that it be
taken up
4 tes Hope to Force Russia to Act.
One prevailing oplnion was that the
Germanic alliesshaf brought out their
peace offer at this time with the ex-
pectation Of making terms which might
be acceptable to the allies Of England,
and in effect might cause the British
m ov1t fo 1n ErhS -
ing with her to accept.
In this connection the recent crisis
in Russia, in which the duma inter-
fered to prevent the negotiations of a
separate peace with Germany was re-
called as an indication Of what the
German foreign office might be look
ing forward to in peace negotiations.
s..f Surprise in Washington.
The foreign embassies and legations
received their first information Of the
event thru Associated Press dis
patches. On every hand the discus
sion turned to what mad moved Ger
many and her allies to make their
proposals at this time. Altho for many
weeks there has been persistent and
officially denied reports that some
peace proposals were about to be made
by President Wilson. there was no in
dication that the central powers them
selves were about to make them,
Efforts at Separate Peace Fail,
It has been generally acknowledged
in entente circles that efforts would b.
made by Germany to conclude peace
separately with her enemies but so
far all the entente nations have reiter-
ated their intention to adhere to their
agreement made early In the war NOT
to make, a separate peace. The recent
death Of the Austrian emperor, Francis
Joseph, with the succession OF King
Charles to the throne Of the dual mon
archy also was discussed as one OF the
considerations which might have been
factor in bringing out peace propos-
ais at this time,
The United States represents Aus-
tria and Germany in Belgium, France,
Great Britain, Japan Russia, Serbia
and Roumania: represents Turkey IN
France. Great Britain and japan: has
taken ovef Bulgarian interests no.
where and does not represent any Of
the belMgerent governments in 1talv
Portugal or Montenegro.