The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-19
Evacuation of Occupied Dis
tricts While the War Lasts
Called Impossible
FORCES AT FRONT
MAY BE CUT DOWN
Central Powers Promise to Answer Rus
sian Demands in Formulated Manner
with General Peace.

BERLIN, via London, Jan. 10
Withdrawal Of German or Austrian
troops from occupied Russian territory
is impossible while the war lasts, says
an official statement issued here on
the peace negotiations at BrestLitovsk.
Ii military conditions permit an eff
fort to reduce the size of the occupy
ing forces to such numbers as are nee
essary to maintain order and meet tech
meal requirements of the country may
be made. The setting up OF a national
gendarmerie may be striven for.
Regarding the return to their homes
of civilians who have been removed,
the statement says this question may
be examined in benevolent spirit from
time to time, but that it could be en-
trusted to a special commission, as it
is not an issue of outstanding impor-
lance politically.
DIR. Won Kuehlmann announced the
central powers had decided to reply
verbally i'll formulated form to the
formulated proposals of the Russian
delegation. He contended the present
method of drawing up formulated docu-
ments wasted much time and led to lit
tie progress.
He advised that they talk matters
over in the future, intrusting their
paper drafts to one representative from
each side. These two representatives.
| should form an editorial committee.
who should reach an understanding be
/ tween themselves in ascortaining and
: nf n
reply of the central powers was then
read as follows:
"The proposals of the Russian dele
| CATION with regard to the development
| Of matters in regions of Russia occu-
pied by the Central Powers diverge to
| such degree from the views of the
| Central Powers that in their present
form they must be characterized as in
acceptable
"They do not possess the character
of an attitude of compromise for which
the central powers have striven, but
represent one sided Russian demand
which excludes the just basis of the
| opposite party being taken into con
9ideration.
In spite of that the central powers
are prepared again to give clearly
formulated expression of their opinions
upon pending questions, this time in
a formulated manner, and also to try
TO find out if the compromise striven
for by them offers any prospect of
realization.
cone portion of the territories occu-
pied by the central powers is dealt
with in article one of the German
draft. This matter has been delberat
ed upon and requires no further discus
sion. The question according to which
blank in the wireless despatch re-
reiyed by the British admiralty-state
| life should be granted was purely a
temporary organization and had four
stages: % The time between the con
clusion of peace with Russia and the
termination of Russian rehabilitation
(2l The time between the Russian
peace and general peace. 60 The
time for the transition stage of the
new peoples. a. The finally definite
stage which the new states require for
the complete installation of their state
I organization.
1T must be repeatedly pointed out
that for the central powers, as distinct
from the case of Russia, the conclusion
of reace with Russia by no means has
any connection with the general peace,
and that the Central Powers will be
compelled to continue the war against
their other enemies.
On the other hand, the Russian gov
eminent declares again to the allied
(Teutonic) delegation that it is of the
opinion that the existing constitutional
organizations of newly created States
may be considered for the present fully
competent to express the will of wide
circles of the nennla -