The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-29
Both France and England Turn
Down Latest Peace
Proposal.
FRANCE TO CONTINUE
Foreign Minister Says Sacrifices Must
Not Have Been In vain-LIoyd
George Declares Fight Is For
Freedom of Mankind.

voiced by Count Czernin, Austro-
Hungarian foreign minister, and
addressed to the Russian peace
delegates at Brest Litovsk, has
been fatty rejected by both
France and Great Britain. The
French foreign minister, M. Pr
chon, in the house of deputies
declared France could not con-
slider the proposal, while David
Lloyd George, Btirish premier,
declared the war must go on un-
til the future peace and free
dom of mankind" is achieved
Paris, Dec 29.-France will not
accept a peace based on conditions
before the war, Foreign Minister
Pichon has declared in the chamber
of deputies. He said Germany was
endeayoring to involve France in its
negotiations with the bolsheviki, but
that the war would go on whether or
not Russia made a separate peace.
Trying To Ensnare Allies.
Referring to the terms which the
Central Powers offered Russia, he
said:
Germany is trying to involve us
in her maximalist negotiations. After
suffering as we have, we cannot ac,
cept peace based on the status quo
By agreement with our allies we are
ready to discuss direct propositions,
but this is indirect.
Russia can treat for separate
peace with our enemies or not. In
either case the war for us will con.
tinue. An ally has failed us, but
another ally has come. A democracy
has risen against Germanys appetite
for conquest.
Cannot Conquer World.
"At the Paris conference a pro.
gram was drawn up and now unity of
action on the part of the Allies will
make itself felt even to Macedonia
Germany and her allies have under.
taken the impossible task of conquer.
ing the world. The world will con
quer them"
NJ. Pichon declared that the secret
treaties published by the bolsheviki
had not compromised France. but
that the German diplomats who were
pretending to show indignation were
the very men who sought to nego
tiate a secret treaty with the old
regime in Russia, who attempted to
draw Mexico into war against the
United States, and who organized
plots in Argentina.
Question World Issue.
Referring to the German declara
tion that Alsace and Lorraine would
never be surrendered, M. Pichor
said:
"The question of Alsace-Lorraine
does not affect France alone. 1t is q
world question and a moral prob
lem. On its solution depends the
! question OF durable peace"
The occupation of Jerusalem, M
Pichon said, was victory for the
civilized world. He added that the
city would be given an internationa
statue.
For Freedom and Peace of Mankind
London, Dec. 29.-The Allies pur
poses in continuing the war are no
imperialistic or vindictive, but fol
| freedom and peace of mankind, Pre-
mier Lloyd George declared today il
letter to the laborites' war aims
congress.
"The question of a fresh declara
tion of our war aims Is CONSTANT.
kept in view," the premier declared
''but such declaration will be ISSUED
only in agreement with the Allies.
"The ideals for which we are nov
fighting are the same as when Brit
I ain entered the war
In Answer to Henderson.
II have never been more con
vinced than now that the Allies pur
poses in continuing the war are no
imperialistic nor vindictive, but t
achieve the future freedom and peac'
of mankind"
Lloyd Georges letter followed al
opening speech by Arthur Hendel
son, who declared that the Allies mus
definitely renounce any desire TO
conquest and urged a restatement an,
reclariication of war aims.