Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-06
RUSSIAN ENJOYS
CHARGE EVASION
ON PART OF HUN
Demand That Germans Agree
Not to Remove Troops
From Eeastern Theater

Petrograd, Dec. g., via London
Dec. 6.-British Admiralty per Wire
less Press) Representatives of Ger
many, Austria Hungary, Turkey and
Bulgaria met the Russian emissarles
at Bresta-Litovsk to discuss terms OF
an armistice. The delegates of the
central powers informed the Rus
slams that they had power to neso-
tlate only the conditions of an armiS-
tice, which a Russian official COM
municauonS calls an "evasive declara-
tion." The request of the Russian
delegates that all the belligerents be
asked to take part in reaching an
armistice on all fronts was met by
the enemy that it did not possess
such powers. The Russians then pre-
sented q project for an armistice on
all fronts, the principal points of
which were the promise that the
would not send
forces from the eastern front to
other fronts and that the Germans
should retire from the islands around
Moon sound.
The Russians were handed a pro-
posal for an armistice on the east
ern front, which is now being ex-
amined by the Russians. The official
communication then says:
Conditions Unacceptable
The enemy delegation declared
our conditions for an armistice were
unacceptable and expressed the opin-
ION such demands could be address
ed only to a conquered country. On
the categorical statement by our
plenipotentiaries that they were
treating for an armistice on all
fronts ViayU
of general democratic peace on the
basis established by the ALL Russian
Congress of Councils, the enemy
delegates again replied evasively
that they could not consider the
question in such a manner because
they were authorized at present only
to negotiate with the Russian dele
cation in view of the absence of Rus
sia's allies from the conference.
Our delegates again replied their
task consisted in drawing all belli-
gerent countries into negotiations
for the purpose of securing a gen.
eral peace. Having regard for the
evasive replies of the enemy, our
delegates, as already stated. sub
mitted the enemy conditions for an
armistice to our military experts for
their criticism from a purely mill
tary point of view and in order that
they may indicate in what respect
notifications are necessary in the
interest of our army and navy from
the Black sea to the Baltic.
2S-Day Truce
THE first point regarding the
proposed enemy armistice was the
duration of the armistice, which was
first indicated as a fortnight to begin
December s. After discussion the
German delegates expressed their
readiness to agree to a prolorgation
to twenty eight days. This term may
automatically be prolonged provided
there is no refusal which must be
made within seven days before the
expiration of the armistice Which is
to begin December 10 if our delega-
ton leaves Brest-Litovsk tomorrow
but if it leaves later, the armistice
will begin later.
Before the commencement of the
official armistice it must be definite,
ly established that hostilities shall
cease.
From the beginning our delegates
insisted on true record of all nego-
tiations and their determination to
publish them in their entirety. The
minutes and language of the sessions
are in Russian on our side and in
German for the German side. A spe-
cial commission was created to COM
pare the minutes after every session.
We have requested that the next
meeting of the plenipotentiaries be
held on Russian territory and that
there be an interval of seven days
in the negotiations in order that our
delegates may return to Petrograd." ."