The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-20
All Central Powers Will Try
for Negotiations.
Russia Also Doing Utmost To
Sound Out Allies.
BUT HAGGLE ON ONE POINT
Won't Consider Proposal OF
Self Definition of Nations.
AutOcratic German Government
Deems That Impractical"

Petrograd, Dec. 2O.-According to
press reports Russia has been inform
ed by the central powers that they
intend to make peace proposals to the
allies.
This report is published in the Eve
ming Post, which says the representa-
tives of the central powers, at the first
preliminary peace conference which
the Russians held yesterday an
nounced that their governments in
tended to put the question OF peace
before all the powers and that they
had asked their allies to do likewise.
Russia was requested to take similar
steps. 1t is stated the Russians are
endeavoring by all means to sound the
allies.
The Evening Post says the Germans
have officially informed the Bolshe-
wiki headquarters that the central pow
ers are ready to consider the arrange
ment of peace on the basis of no an
neXations and no indemnities, but
tions was mpracticable.
Is important AssembIage.
London. Dec 1S.-Peace negotia-
tions between Russia and the central
powers, an armistice having been
reached, are assuming an aspect of
Importance. Doctor Won Kuehlmann,
the German foreign secretary and
Count Czernin, the Austro- Hungarian
foreign minister are both said to be
on their way to Brest-Litovsk, being
accompanied by advisory suites from
Berlin that the main committee of the
reichstag will be summoned to meet in
special session in connection with
these negotiations and some German
newspapers interpret this is showing
that the will of the peoples represen-
tatives is about to assert itself
Another result of the armistice is
that Ensign krylenko, the Bo1sheviki
commander in chief, has been able
to move divisions from the northern
front against General Kaledines, who
is reported to be gaining new sue
ceSses.
KerensLy Attack n Myth?
There is no direct confirmation of
the report that former Premier Keren-
sky is in the vicinity of Petrograd
with an army. Meanwhile the Boil
sheviki administration is adopting
drastic methods against its opponents,
including the reinstatement of the
death penalty.
A dispatch from Tammerfors Fin
land, says that the Russian troops are
| preparing to evacuate Finland, their
| transportation already having been
arranged.
Prefer a Separate Peace?
The representative of the Central
! powers informed the Russians they
were ready to discuss peace prelimin-
aries but desired to know the result
| of Russias efforts to induce the allies
to join in the negotiations before pro-
| ceeding with them. They said this
! point of view might be changed, how
! ever, and that they might be willing
/ to discuss peace with Russia alone
| The Germans were of the opinion that
| the Russian armistice might influence
the other fronts. The first conference
was devoted merely to a discussion OF
who would participate in the negotia.
! tions.
! No News of 1t at Washington.
/ Washington, Dec. 2O-The Russian
embassy today was entirely without
advices of the progress of peace nego-
tiations between the Bolsf16Fiki and
| the central powers, and whatever ad-
vices the government was receiving
thru American Ambassador Francis OIL
| other sources were not made public.