The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-24
Of
GERMAN PEACE
Teuton Feelers During Holi.
day Season Show Similar
Plotting of Year Ago
Today.
NOT TO BE CONSIDERED
Preparations and Determination to
Win the War Should Go
Ahead With Speed
and Energy.
NOT TO BE CONSIDERED

United Press Leased Wire Service.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24-"G er-
many's insidious Christmas peace
propaganda should not for a moment
induce us to slacken our preparation
for war"
Secretary Of War Bakers weekly
war summary voiced the warning
To-Day pointing out clearly that Ger
many now Is trying to knock Italy out
OF the fight, while at the same time
she is testing out the west front pre-
Hminary to what has been heralded
as big offensive.
He warned. too, that Americas por-
tion Of the struggle is vast and that
our armies constitute the reserves
of victory
On the subject of Teuton peace feel
ers and Americas task, the secretary
said:
1t would appear that as forerun.
ner to the German offensive heralded
to be launched In the west, an inten-
siye peace propaganda Is under way.
Omcials here see in the Russo-German
gathering at Brest-Litoysk an effort
by Germany to effect separate peace
with Russia during the holidays for
the psychological effect on other ma.
tions.
Careful examination Of the situa-
tion reveals that the enemy is again
preparing to sue for peace before VIC
tory" Baker said.
information from various sources
confirms the reports that the Germans
would have the world believe that the
military situation is such that they are
able to dictate the terms of peace.
They therefore threatened that unless
th1s dictated peace Is accepted by the
allied powers and ourselves, the Ger
man forces now being concentrated on
the western front will break through
the allied line in the west
Ihe various reports OF immedi
peace proposals by the Germans on
seemingly favorable terms. would not
for a moment induce us to slacken our
for war.
1t Is only necessary for us to reca,,
that during that Christmas season last
year the Germans put forth every sim
liar peace rumor.
in considering the German military
situation in it's true light, it must be un-
derstood that the Germans realize that
within short time our armies will
form the principal body of fresh strate-
e1c reserves remaining available for
action on the battle fields of Europe
Thus no matter what superiority in
men and guns the enemy may, for the
time being be able to bring to bear in
the west, and even admitting an even
tual modifying of the allied line in his
favor, nevertheless he knows that in
sofar as it Is humanity possible to fore
see, his effort will inevitably result in
merely local success which can have
no determining influence on the final
outcome of the war"
Pointing out that France and Eng |
land have done mighty task, Baker |
added
1T is our duty in looking to the fu- !
ture to realize that if we are to fulfill /
the pledge we made on entering the |
war, if we are to fight this war to a |
conclusion, we must as |
sumo the full responsibility that rests |
upon us. We are the freshest in the !
struggle; we have the reserve man |
power and the reserve mechanical !
power. Our armies constitute the re-
serves Of victory
Noting the addition of fresh Teuton |
forces in Italy, the secretary said the
Hun is trying to get Italy out Of the