Evening star., 1917-09-24
By the Associated Press.

| COPENHAGEN, September zA-Df.
Michaelis, the German Imperial chancei-
lor. will discuss the Belgian question anu
German peace conditions in a speech next
Thursday. according to the Neueste Nach-
irichten, of Munich. The chancellor Will
declare, the newspaper says, that Ger
many is ready to re-establish Belgian in
dependence If the entente powers agree
to restore the German colonies and TO
give up their policy Of territorial and
economic conquest"
! The correspondent at Vienna OF the
Berliner Tageblatt, in a dispatch dated
Sunday. says:
1.-THE replies of Turkey and Bulgaria
will be forwarded to the Pope today.
Turkey demands that her territory shall
not be violated. Bulgaria demands that
her frontiers shall be regulated in accord
ance with the principles OF nationality.
German Press Praises Reply.
! BERLIN, Saturday, September cit
| is generally pointed out by the Berlin
press that Germany's reply to the papal
peace proposals iInpresses by virtue OF It's
dignified tone and spirit in contradiction
| to President Wilson's reply to the Pope,
and also on account of the absence OF all
villifcation of Germany s enemies.
| The liberal press is especially oubi-
| liant because the government unreserv-
| ed1y has brought itself into harmony
with the reichstag peace resoluttGn. ION.
| newspapers. with one exception, are
| unexpectedly moderate in their COM
ment.
| The Zeitung am Mit.ag says: ut must
, be admitted that the German reply
heaps fiery Goals on the heads or our
enemies. After President Wilson's mas
( tiness and the presumption OF the
| French foreign minister. NJ Ribot. ana
his followers. we have here document
which. marked by dignity and reserve.
| is alone dictated by an appreciation OF
| the brotherhood of men.
For Fright Before Might"
I've declare ourselves ready to enter
| into negotiations on the basis of the
papal mediation proposal We say so
quite frankly. We approve the ideas
! of right before might, of freedom of the
| seas. Of the associatio of a society of
nations. of disarmament to a feasible
i extent and of an arbitration court. We
are seeking peace-a permanent peace
along these lines.
Once upon n time. months ago. this
also was President Wilson's program.
He for the present has abandoned it,
because, as he says, a transforma tion
| of German sentiment and viewpoints
must first set in. This argument has
now also collapsed"
The MoEgen Post says: ''ff the Ger
| man note does not take the opportunity
of occupying itself with the Belgian
question and details in general, this
manifestly Is prompted by desire to
create an atmosphere in which the
peace commissioners could move about
unhampered. and. further. for the
reason that discussion of individual
problems would only bring on fresh
controversies.
Backs Reichstag's Resolution.
Allgemeine Zeitung join the Germania
in pointing out that the German gov
ernment has unreservedly placed itself
on record as approving the reichstag's
are possible that it is actuated by the
same peace desires as are the great ma
jority of the German people.
Several newspapers concur in stating
that the omission of direct reference to
Belgium amply is atoned for in the Of
fetal admission that the government
approves of the Pope's mediation, and.
as further circumstance. that this
much moot point is accounted for in
the unequfvoca1 acceptance of the
reichstaG's action of July 10.
The Tageblatt says: "A specific state
ment on this point is not necessary in
view of the declarations contained in
the note. Presupposing that the oppos-
ing parties will not refuse to surrender
| the German colonies. Germany will
yield up Belgium. This much is estab-
| lished. Germany. in principle, is ready
to restore Belgian independence"
The Boersen Zeitung observes that a
careful peruSal of the note reveals very
definite declarations of concessions. All
now, the newspaper says. depends on
| the good will of the belligerent gov
| ernments, and it adds:
| IF this will is present the German
reply will offer an acceptable founda-
| tion for an understanding. This may
| be asserted with all positiveness, in
view of the fact that it is an open
secret that in addition to the German
official reply other declarations will be
forthcoming, or already have been
made. which will clear up one of the
| fundamental questions of the coming
peace"
A Common Meeting Ground
AMSTERDAM, September 24.-The
pan-German newspaper Neueste Ma
chrichten of Leipsic believes that the
German reply to the Pope affords a
common meeting ground for all reichs-
tag factions and expresses the opinion
| that If such collaboration is achieved
with unanimity and a minimum of
noise its effect abroad will be all the
better
| The Tageblatt. organ of the national
| liberals, says: 1T is good and wise
politics that the note reiterates the un-
deniable fact that Germany is quite
prepared today. as she was ten months
iago, to lay down her arms. 1t will not
| be our fault if the high-minded Pore
rails because of the obstinacy and sui
| lenness of our foes
! The Koelnische Volks Zeitung says
taJ,r