New Britain herald., 1917-12-06
December Eighth Set
AS Date When Off,
clal Armistice Goes
Into Effect
STATEMENT is GIVEN
OUT AT PETROGRAD
Draw All Belligerent Countries Into
Negotiations to Secure q General
Democratic Peace-True Record OF
Conference Insisted Upon by Dele
gateS-AnOther Conference,

Petrograd, Dec. s. Via London,
Dec. 6.-Representatives Of Germany
Austria- Hungary, Turkey and Bull
garia met the emissartes at Brest-
Litovsk to discuss terIns of an armisa
tice. The delegates Of the Central !
powers informed the Russians that !
they had power to negotiate only the
conditions of an armistice which q
Russian official communication calls
an evasive declaration. The request
Of the Russian delegates that all the
belligerents be asked to take part in
reaching an armistice on all fronts
was met by the enemy that it did
not possess such powers. The Rus
slams then presented project for an
armistice on all fronts, the principal
points of which were the promise that
the Austro Germans would not send
forces from the eastern front to other
fronts and that the Germans should
retire from the islands around Moon
Sound
The Russians were handed a pro-
posal for an armistice on the eastern
front which is now being examined by
the Russians. The official commun1-
cation then says:
The enemy delegation declared
our conditions for an armistice were
unacceptable and expressed the opin-
ion that such demands could be ad-
dressed only to conquered country.
On the categorical statement by our
plenipotentiaries that they were
treating for an armistice on all fronts
with a view to the conclusion of a
general democratic peace on the
basis established by the All-Russian
congress Of councils, the enemy del
cgates again replied evasively that
they could not consider the question
In such a manner because they were
authorized at present only to nego-
hate with the Russian delegation, in
view of the absence Of Russia's allies
from the conference.
"Our delegates again replied their
task consisted in drawing all belli-
gerent countries into negotiations for
the purpose of securing g. general
peace. Having regard for the evasive
replies Of the enemy, our delegates,
as already stated. submitted the ene-
my conditions for an armistice to our
military experts for their criticism
from purely military point of view
and in order that they may indicate
In what respect notifications are ne
C0SSaTy III Cl0 interest OF our army
and navy from the Black Sea to the
Baltic.
The First Point.
The first point regarding the pro-
posed enemy armistice was the dura-
ton of the armistice, which was first
Indicated as fortnight to begin De.
cember 8. After discussion, the Ger
man delegates expressed their read
lness to agree, to a prolongation tn
twenty-eight days. This term may
automatically be prolonged provided
there Is no refusal which must be
made within seven days before the
expiration Of the armistice which is
to begin December If our delega-
ton leaves Brest-Litovsk tomorrow,
but If it leaves later the armlsticc
vii, begin later.
Before the commencement of the
official armistice 1t must be definitely
established that ho3tilities shall cease
From the beginning our delegates
! insisted on a true record of all ne
Continued On Tenth Page).