Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-11

commissaries were mistaken in thinking
that q durable peace could be obtained
by asking the Germans for an armistice
to be followed by an agreement. The al
lies, he said, wished first to arrive at a
general agreement In harmony with their
declared war aims and then to arrange an
armistice.
Dealing With Autocracy.
Hitherto not one word had been said by
any German statesman to show that the
ideals Of the Russian democracy were
shared by Emperor William and his gov
eminent. the ambassador said. II was
with the German autocracy not with the
German people that the armistice nego-
tiatons were being conducted. He asked
whether 1t was likely that the emperor.
when once he knew the Russian army had
ceased to exist as a fighting force. would
be disposed to subscribe to a democratic
and durable peace On the contrary, the
peace contemplated by the emperor was
a German irnperialistic peace.
Although the allies could not send rep
resentatives to take part In the armis-
tice negotiations they were ready, said
Sir George, as soon as stable govern
ment. recognized by the Russian people.
had been constituted. TO examine with
that government the aims of the war and
the possible conditions of a just and dur
able peace. In the meantime the allies
sistance by holding the bulk of the Ger
man armies on their respective fronts
Would Stand by Russia.
Tho ambassador reiterated Great Bn-
tain's desire to stand by Russia in this
critical hour and asked whether the same
could be said Of Russian feelings toward
Great Britain. He remarked that hardly
a day passed that did not witness a
bitter attack on Great Britain In the
official newspapers, giving the impress
sion that Britain. not Germany, was Rus-
sias enemy. and the provoker of the war.
Great Britain bore the Russians no
grudge, realizing they were worn out
by the sacrifices of war and the gem
eral REORGANIZATION inseparaole from
a great political revolution. the am
basssdor said. Denying reports of con-
templated coercive or punitive action in
the event Russia should make sepa-
rate peace. Sir George nevertheless as
plain that the council of peoples COM
missaries had been negotiating with
the enemy without previously consult
ing the allies. which was a breach of
the London agreement of 1914.
Peace England Desires.
1t could not be admitted for a mo-
ment that q treaty concluded by the
autocratic government did not bind the
democracy whereby the autocracy was
replaced. Nevertheless Great Britain
did not wish to induce an unwilling
ally to continue to share in the COM
mon effort by appealing to treaty
rights; but there were higher princi-
Piles to which appeal might be made.
These, he said, were principles recog-
mixed by the commissaries. namely.
those of a democratic peace. a peace
which accorded with the wishes of the
smaller nationalities. which repudiated
the idea of exacting plumber from a
conquered enemy under the name of in
demnity. or of incorporating reluctant
populations IN great empires. Such,
broadly speaking. was the peace Great
Britain, especially with the Russian
democracy. desired to see obtained.
Maurice Paleologue. the French ambas-
sador to Russia, according TO the Petrograd
correspondent OF the Times. has issued a
declaration which includes a statement Of
willingness to discuss war aims and peace
terms with the Russian government as
soon as II is established and recognized.
It Is added the declaration is similar to
one made by Sir George Buchanan, the
British N