Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-01-18
GERMANY SPEAKS
TO NEUTRALS AGAIN
New Note Accuses the Allied
Powers of Insincerity in An.
swering Peace Offers.
NO ANSWER POSSIBLE.
Entente Censurcd for Not Exapslniag
TeutOhs' PropoSnis--England vis-
Intes Law Of Nations.

Berlin. Jan. II Thy wireless to SayviIIe),
Germany to-day handed neutral govern.
mehts u note concerning the reply of the
entente to the German peace proposals,
the Overseas News agency announced.
1t is first stated, says the news agency
announcement. that the German govern
ment has received the reply of the en-
tente to the note of December IL con.
tanning a proposition to enter at once
into peace negotiations. The note then
continues:
Our adversarics declined this PROPOSE.
tin. giving "a the reason that II IL .
proposition without sincerity and without
Importance. The form in which they
clothe their communication excludes an
answer to them. but the imperial govern
ment considers II important TO point out
to the governments nf neutral powers its
opinion regarding the situation.
Their readiness was affirmed without
reservation tn make known their pe4ee
conditions when negotiations were on
tered into, which refutes every doubt az
to their sincerity.
Our adversaries. who had Il in their
hands 70 examine the proposition a. TO is
contents. neither attempted an examina-
ton nor made counter proposals. Instead.
they declared that peace was impossible
so long as tho re-estahlishment Of viola ted
rights ard liberties. the recognition Of
the principal OF nationalitics and the frNe
existence Of small states were not guar
antecd.
THE sincerity. which our adversary
denies to the proposals OF the four allied
powers. Will not be conceded by the world
TO these demands il the world holds be-
! fore it's eyes the fate Of the Irish people.
the destruction Of the liberty and indie
pendence Of the Boer republic, mo s,fb-
cation Of northern Africa BY England.
! Franc" and Italy, the suppression Of Rus
sian alien nations, and also the violation
ot Greece, which is without precedent in
! history.
Against the pretended violations OF
the laws OF nations by the four allie 9
| (Teutonic) those powers are not en-
titled to complain which from the be-
ginning OF the war trampled on justice
and tore to pieces the treaties upon
which It is built. England already
during the frst weeks Of the war
repndiated the London declaration. the
content Of which had been recognized
( ny its own delegates as valid law
of nations, and in tho further course
| Of the war violated IN the most severe
fashion also the Paris declarations; 80
that. by her arbitrary measures for
warfare a condition Of lawlessnsss has
! been created.
THE war of starvation against Ger.
many and the pressure exercised In
England's interest against neutrais
are not less scandalously conflicting
with the rules Of the laws Of nations
as with the commands Of humanity
likewise. contrary to the laws OF
nations. and incompatible with the
usages Of civilization. are the use OF
colored troops in Europe and the OK :
tension Of the war into Africa. which
was done by a breach Of existing treA-
ties and which undermines the pres
tige of the white race on that cont
nent. The barbarous treatment OF
prisoners especially in Africa and
Russia and the deportation OF tho civil
ian population from eastern Prussia
Alsace- Lorraine. Galicia and Bukowina
are further proof of how our adver-
saries respect justice and civilization. "