Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-17
PEACE WITHIN TWO
MONTHS PREDICTED
DANISH SOCIALIST PRESS CON.
FIRMS RUMORS OF GERMAN
RUSSIAN NEGOTIATIONS.

! Copenhagen, April ID, via London
Peace within two months and half ia
predicted by the Copenhagen cor
respondent of the Danish socialist
press, who confirms the reports OF the
unofficial negotiations between Rus
sian and German socialists as against
the diplomatic denials in the socialist
newspapers here and in Berlin.
The first negotiations, says the cor.
respondent. who is a socialist member
of the Danish parliament. We're broken
of, enabling two papers to launch a
denial that they were in progress, but
they were Immediately resumed and
are being prosecuted vigorously. The
correspondent then enters into dis.
cussion of peace terms.
II am assured from an absolutely
Trustworthy source he says. that
Germany is ready to restore Belgium
and Serbia evacuate France and with
Turkey arrange an agreement with
Russia over the free navigation Of the
Dardanelles. An agreement is also pos
sible on the Polish question as the
Russian government knows"
The correspondent pictures England
as the sole obstacle to peace
The Tageblatt of Berlin, discussing
Copenhagen dispatches relative to the
presence here of Philip Scheidemann,
leader Of the majority socialists, on q
peace errand, mentions "a we'll known
Centrist member of the reichstag' as
also taking hand in the parleys.
The Tageblatt exposes the hollow
ness of the denials with which the gov
eminent, German socialists and others
concerned are endeavoring to shade
the all too delicate plant of separate
peace effort with the Russian socialists
from the light OF publicity, which
might perhaps wither it. The Tage-
blatt says the German majority social
lists who hitherto have voted regularly
for the war credits, may perhaps be
welcomed less warmly by the Russian
socialists than is hoped. 1t agrees
with Count Won Reventlow though for
different reasons. in regarding tho
chances for success with skepticism.
Count Won Reventlow continues his
campaign in the Tages Zeitung day in
and day out against any thought of
compromise peace which will not givs
to Germany in full measure what il
demanded by the annextionists. in both
the east and the west. He expresses
the hope that the renewal. recently OF
the proposal for peace conference by
Count Czernin. the Austro- Hungarian
foreign minister, which the socialists
are now trying to emphasize, has been
buried definitely saying it is undesir-
able to permit the western powers to
have hand in the Russo-German set
Element. He intimates that Russia
must reconcile herself to the loss of
territories considered necessary for
the future greatness of Germany but
that she may procure compensation
elsewhere probably in Rumania and
Persia, which would enable her he
says, to consider honorable and adyan.
tageous terms OF peace,
In another article Count Won Revent.
low breaks the lance with Foreign Sec.
rotary Zimmerman to whom he has
transferred his old enmity against the
foreign office. He asserts that it is
now less than ever in the interest OF
Germany ito sing political serenades to
the Japanese or attempt to use Car
rama as matchmaker" He warns
against placing any hope in Japan. Al
though Germany and Japan to certain
extent are natural allies, the opportun.
ity for an alliance has passed he says,
as Japan for the present probably will
decide to maintain relations with An
glo.Saxondom and continue to get all
nOsSible prOfits therefrOm