The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-12
Character Of Allies Note Pre-
Guided Direct Response to
Them
COUNTER ACCUSATIONS
MADE AS TO CONDUCT
Attempts to Justify Invasion Of
Belgium and Point to Brit
ish Dealings With Small
Nations

Berlin, via Sayviile, Jan. IL
I'VE offered peace and meant
what we said. The offer was
spurncsi. We shall fight on until
that peace which might have
been gained by diplomacy is won
b, our sword
In substance this is what Ger
many. speaking also for her al
lies--Austria- Hungary, Bulgaria
and Turkey--told the neutral
world to-day.
Late this afternoon things began
10 stir in Wilhelmstrasse. The day
had been unusually tranquil, There
were no big news from any OF the
fighting fronts throughout Germany
there was. however. an atmos-
phere OF tense expectancy for de
spatches from Holland and Switzer-
land had announced that the entente
reply TO President Wilson was on its
way &c Washington EFering "eN-
tras'' mere eagerly expected lu trinS
summary Of the notes contents.
J. diplomatic message by tn central
,4ewers was fur hest from tina people :
minds.
\ Surprise Note.
The surprise with which the Berlin
porul.ce learned OF a Teutonjc note
N great. The foreign secretary Or.
Alfred zimmerman, 1t was suddenly
anncunC ed, handed 10 the reprcsea-
tatives Of the neutral countries dec
!aratiou as to the German govern
menfs opinion OF the situation as
shaped by the events that followed
the central powers peace offer of
December -: last.
The note is, in effect. a reply 10
the eutente's rejection OF that Of
fer,
Excludes Direct Reply.
THE form In which they clothe
their communication. says the note,
EXCLUDES an answer 10 them" For
this reason that which the central
powers feel they should make known
TO the world Is told IN the message
10 the neutrals
Reiteration OF the assertion that
the responsibility for the continuance
of the war, a statement of the central
powers case in the conflict. emphatic
refutation OF the accusation made IN
| the entente's reply to the peace Of
fer, and renewed expression OF the
vii, to VICTOR. are the main fea-
lures of the note.
Germany issues Statement.
The Overseas News Agency gives
|put the following,
A note was handed to the represen~
fatives OF all neutral countries by the
Herman government today
The document first states that the
German government has received the
rcply of the entente powers TO the
central powers note Of December L..
containing the proposition to enter at
once into the peace negotiations. The
note then continues:
"Our adversaries decline this prop
psition. giving as reason that II Is
proposition without sincerity and
without importance.
..The form in which they clothe
their communication excludes an an
uwer to them. but the imperial gov
rrnment considers II important to
point out to the governments of the
neutral powers Its opinion about the
Situation.
1.-THE central powers have no rea-
son to enter into a discussion about
the origin of the worlds war.
History VIII Place Blame.
"History will judge upon whom falls
kbe immense guilt of the war. His
ory's verdict will as little pass over
the encircling policy of England, the
Revenge policy of France and the en-
Ideavor of Russia to gain CONSTANT
nOpie as IL Will pass OVER the lttStiSa-
HONS of Serbia, the assassination in
Earaycvo and the complete" mobiliza-
ion of Russia, which meant war
against Germany.
"Germany and her allies, who had
O take arms for the defense of their
liberty and their existence, consider
his. their aim in this war. obtained.
.On the other hand. the hostile
powers always went further away
from the realization of their plans.
which according to the declarations
pf their responsible statesmen. were
directed. among other things. towards
khe conquest of Alsace-Lorraine and
several Prussian provinces the hui
Initiation and diminution of the Aus
ro- Hungarian monarchy, the parti-
ion of Turkey and the mutilation of
Bulgaria.
A Surprising Effect.
I'm the face of such war aims, the
Iemand for sanction. reparation and
uarantees, in the mouth of our ad-
rersaries produces a surprising eff
beet.
stDur adversarfes call the proposal
II the four Teutonic allied powers a
war maneuver.
sGermany and her allies must pro-
- In 4 most energetic, fashion that
lY (Continued on Second PagG.l