The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-01-05

The allied governments or Bel
gium, France, Great Britain, Italy.
Japan, Montenegro. Portugal. Ru-
mania. Russia aud Serbia. united for
the defence of the liberty of their
peoples and faithful to engagements
taken not to lay down arms separate
ly, have resolved to reply collectively
TO the pretended propositions OF peace
which were addressed to them on be-
half. of ithe enemy governments
through the intermediary of She
United States, Spain, Switzerland
and Holland 81
-.Bef6re msking>my! reply the allied
powers desire particularly to protest
against thes t&p 'assentpl ..SsseT ipns
of the note of the enemy powers that
-preteSa.-ts <aitSS sapuse~ The gxtfies gre
sponsibility for the war and proclaim
the victory of the central powers.
"The allied governments cannot ad-
NIT an affirmation doubly inexact and
which suf,ices to render sterile all
tentative negotiation. The allied ma
tions have sustained for 80 months
war they did everything to avoid.
They have shown by their acts their
attachment to peace. That attachment
is as strong today as 1t was in 1914.
But II is not upon the word OF Ger
many. after the violation Of its en-
gagements, that the peace broken by
her may be h"sed.
Not Peace, But War Maneuvre.
"A mere suggestion, without
statement OF terms, that negotiations
should be opened. is not an offer of
peace The putting forward by the i'm
perial government OF a sham pro-
posal lacking all substance and pre-
cision, would appear to be less an
offer OF peace than war maneuvre.
IL Is founded on calculated misin-
depreciation OF the character OF the
struggle in the past, the present and
the future.
"As for the past. the German note
takes no account OF the facts. dates
and figures which established that the
war was desired. provoked and de-
clared by Germany and Austria
Hungary.
AT The Hague conference 1t was
German delegate who refused all
proposals for disarmament. In july,
1914. il was Austria Hungary who. af-
ter having addressed to Serbia an
unpl cedented ultmatum, declared
war upon her in spite Of the salts
faction which had at once been ac-
corded.
"The central empires then rejected
all attempts made by the entente TO
bring about a pacific solution OF
purely local conflict Great Britain
suggested confereI ce;, France pro- \
posed an international commission;
the Emperor of Russia asked the Ger
man Emperor TO 60 TO arbitration. and
Russia and Austria Hungary came TO
an understanding on the eve of the
conflict But to all these efforts Ger
many gave neither answer nor effect.
How Belgium Was Invaded.
Belgium was invaded by an en-
pire which had guaranteed her neu- !
trality. and which had the assurance
TO proclaim that treaties were scraps
of paper and that necessity knows
no law
"At the present moment these sham |
offers on the part of Germany rest /
on the war map OF Europe alone, |
which represents nothing more than
a superficial passing phase OF the sit
uation and not the real strength OF |
the belligerents. Il
"A peace concluded upon these |
terms would be only to the advan-
tage OF the aggressors. who. after
imagining that they would reach their
goal in two months. discovered after
two years that they could never at
tain II.
"As for the future. the disasters |
caused by the German declaration of
war and the innumerable outrages
by Germany and her allies
against both belligerents and neu-
trails, demand penalties. reparation
and guarantees. Germany avoids men
ton OF any OF these.
I'm reality these overtures made
by the central powers are nothing
more than a calculated attempt to in
ruence the future course OF war and
10 end e by imposing German
peace. The object OF these overtures
s TO create dlssension in public opin-
on in the allied countries. But that
public opinion has in spite OF all the
sacrifices endured by the allies. al
ready giysA its answer with admirable
irmness and has denounced the emp
v pretence OF the declaration
he enemy powers.
Effect On Teutonic Public Opinion.
They have the further object OF
itiffening public opinion in Germany
md in the countries allied TO her
me and all severely tried by their
osses. worn out by @Homic pres
ure a. crushed by the 1dpreme ef-
ort WI h has. been imposed upon
heir inhs tants.
THE On qvor 10 deceive and in
imidate p. opinion IN neutral
Countries. v hose inhabitants have
ong since made up their minds where
he initial responsibilities lie and are :
ar too enlightened to favor the de-