The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-06
Slav ENJOYS Declare TeutOns
Are Evading the Offer.
Sought to Keep German Army
on Eastern Front.
ARMISTICE MAY RUN MONTH
Submit German Counter Pro-
pOsal to Russian Chiefs.
After Seven Days, Plan Next
Session on Russian Soil.

Petrograd, Dec. 5.-via London.
Dec. 6.-(Britist Admiralty per Wire
less Press. )-Representatives of Ger
many, Austria Hungary, Turkey. and
Bulgaria met the Russian emissaries
at Brest-Litovsk to discuss terms of
an armistice. The delegates of the
central powers informed the Russians
that they had power to negotiate only
the conditions of an armistice which
a Russian official -munication calls
an "evasive declaration" 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.
Demand Huns Leave Riga.
The Russians then presented a pro-
ject for an armistice on all fronts,
the particular points of which were
the promise that the Austro Germans
would not send forces from the east
ern front to other fronts and that the
Germans should retire from the Is
lands around Moon Sound. The Rus
slams were haHl-cd a proposal for an
armistice on the eastern fr~nt, which
now is being examined by the Rus
slams. The official communication
then says:
THE enemy delegation declared
that our conditions for an armistice
were unacceptable and expressed the
opinion that such demands could be
addressed only to conquered coun-
try On the categorical statement by
our plenipotentiaries that they were
treating for an armistice on all fronts
with a view to the conclusion of
general democratic peace on the basis
established by the all-Russian con-
1ra1f toe
again replied evasively that they
could not consider the question in
such manner -beca1sesS-8heys were
authorized at present only to nego-
tiate with the Russian delegation in
view of absence of Russia's allies from
the conference.
Submit German Proposal.
"Our delegates again replied that
their task consisted in drawing all
belIigerent countries into negotiations
for the purpose of securing a general
peace. Having regard for the evasive
replies of the enemy, our delegates as
already stated, submitted the enemy
conditions for an armistice to our mill
itary experts for their criticism from
a purely military point OF view and
in order that they may indicate in
what respect notifications are neces-
sary in the interest of our army and
navy from the Black sea to the Baltic.
THE first point regarding the pro-
posed enemy armistice was the dura-
ton of the armistice. which was first
indicated as a fortnight to begin De-
cember 8. After discussion the Ger
man delegates expressed their readi-
ness to agree to a prolongation 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 delegation
leaves Brest-Litovsk tomorrow, but if
it leaves later the armistice will be-
gin later.
First, HostiIities Must Cease.
Before the commencement of the
official armistice it must be estab-
lished definitely that hostilities shall
cease
From the beginning our delegates
insisted on a 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 Ger
man for the German side. A special
commission was created to compare
the minutes after the 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 nego-
tiations in order that our delegation
may return to Petroerad."