The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-01-04
PROTEST AGAINST ENEMY,s AS
sERTIoN ATTEMPTING TO
THROW ON ENTENTE RE-
sPoNsIsiLITY FOR WAR.
DECLARE PROPOSITION is
LIKE MANEUvER OF WAR
Official Text Asserts Proposal Was
Made In Order to Seek to lntimi-
date Neutrality-suspicious. Peace
10 Impossible Until Re-
paration 10 Made.

Paris. Jan. 1.-Germany's peace pro-
posal has been refused by the Allies.
In a collective note branding the
prefer OF the Central Pew ers as empty
and insincere. the Allied government
insist that no peace IL possible so long
as they hsve not secured reparation for
violated rights and liberties They
reiterate the objects they are Sighting
for. namely, the free existencs Of small
states and maintain that Any settle
ment must provide for tho future Sc
.curity OF the entire world.
The proposal of the Central Powers
IL termed not an offer Of peace but a
"manoeuyre OF war" II 10 declared to
be founded on Calculated misrepresen-
tation OF the character Of the struggle
In the past. the present and the fu-
ture."
Outlines BeIgium's War Aims.
The note does not specifically outline
the war aims OF any O. the Allied gov
ernments except Belgium. Before the
war. II Is pointed out, Belgium asked
for nothing but to live In harmony
with her neighbors. Assaiied In spite
OF the treaties guaranteeing her In
volatility. Befgiurn. the note. has TAX
en- UP arms TO defend her independence
and her neutrality violated by Ger
many"
Note Delivered to sharpe.
The note was handed TO u. s. AnbAs-
80 ia
Paris 70 he transmitted BY tbs Unit
cd States to the Central Powers.
The note says: THE Allied govern
ments OF Belgium. France, Great Brit
ain. Italy. Japan. Montenegro. Portu-
gal, Roumania. Russia and Serbia, unit
ed for the defense Of the liberty Of
thsir peoples and faithful TO engage
ments taken not to lay down their
aryes separately have resolved TO reply
collectively to pretended propositions
OF peace which were addressed to them
on behalf OF enemy governments
through the intermediary OF the Unit
ed States. Spain. switzerland and Hoi-
land.
Wished to Avoid War.
Before making any reply to the AL
lied Powers desire particularly to pro-
test against the two essential asssr-
tivns OF the note of the enemy powers
that pretend to throw upon the Allies
responsibility for the war and pro-
claim the victory of the Central Pow
ers.
''The Allied governments cannot ad-
NIT an animation doubly inexact and
which suffices to render sterile all ten
tative negotiations.
THE Allied nations have sustained
for thirty months a war they did every
thing to avoid. They have shown by
their acts their attachment to peace.
That attachment Is as strong today as
~ W8o ia AsAb out ~ 10 HOt 0ROH the
word OF Germany, after the vioAation
OF her engagements. that the peace
broken by her may be based.
Not nm Oner az Peace.
"A mere suggestion, without a state
ment of terms, that negotiations
should be opened. IL not an OFFER OF
peace. The putting forward by the
sal lacking all substance and precision
would appear to be less an OFFER OF
peace than q mnneuver OF var. 1t IL
founded on calculated misinterpreta-
tion Of the character OF the struggle
In the past. the present and the fu-
turo.
AS for the past. the German note
takes no account OF the facts, dates
and figures which establish that the |
was desired. provoked and de-
ciared by Germany and Austria Hun
gary,
Refused Dfsarnament Plan.
AT b Hague conference II was q
German delegate who refused all pro-
posals for disarmament In July. 1914,
II was Austro- Hungary. who. after hav-
ing addressed TO Serbia an unprsce-
dented ultimatum declared war upon
her In spite OF the satisfaction which
bad At once been accorded.
The Central Empires then rejected
AL attempts made ~ the entente TO
bring about Q pacific solution OF a
purely local connict.
123oe-W ~ U--Sfx Hanninr
sorsat Britain suggested q confer
ence; France proposed an international
commisston: the Emperor OF Russia
asked tine German smpsror to 20 20
arbitration and Russia and Austria
Hungary came to an understanding ON
Che eve Of the confict. But to all fhsse
sncrts Germany gave neither answer
nor acknowledgment.
Delgsum Invaded ~ Emplrs.
= ~Belgtum WAS Invaded By an smpirs
which hod guaranteed her neutrality
and which had the assarancs 10 pro-
claim that treaties were scraps OF pa
Der and that aneceestty knows no law,
IA The present moment these sham
effsrs GA the pert 81 Germany rest on
\ war map Of Europe alone which
.Eopr4oents nofhfng more than Z super
1lolall 4 passing phase OF the .situa.
ticn and not the real strength Of the
be1Iigerentn4
peace ecneludsd upon these terms