Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1918-01-13
ISSUE OF PEACE.
OR WAR WILL Be.
SETTLED SOON
Unless Peace Negotiations
Are Opened Before Spring
War Will Be Long, in the
Opinion Of Washington.
BY ROBERT J. BENDER.

| ny HobERI j. BENDER.
| washington. Jan. 12.-The possibil-
ity of peace negotiations before spring,
or the certainty OF All indefinite pro-
longatfon Of the war will he definitely
decided within the next fortnight, ac-
cording to the administration view an
1t was semi officially given the United
Press today.
| The issue will be determined solely
by the effect of the peaoo aim state
ments upon liberal political leaders.
and upon the masses Of the people in
Germany. Up to today there has
been nothing to indicate that the full
text OF any great part of the text Of
the presidents message had been
printed In Germany or Austria Ap-
parently only those parts calculated to
spur the people to continuation OF
war have been allowed to reach the
public. To date the German press
comment has all been most bitter. II
is said that little later the full text
OF the message will reach the Socialist
ana liberal political leaders. 1t may
produce some effect then.
PLACE HOPE IN BLUNDER.
Inc president realizes the militarist
grip on Germany is tighter now than
ever before. In addition. the state
ment of allied war aims has made
German junkers and militarists willing
TO go to any extreme. The allied pro-
gram, If successful, means obliteration
for them and for their theories. Their
only possible chance lies in holding
Germany in the war and making a last
desperate military drive in the west
meanwhile hoping for another allied
blunder
According to the best informed au-
thorities In the administration, the al
lies now realize a bad blunder was
maze and year practically lost by
FAILURE to reply last winter to the
German peace maneuvers 1t Is he
lieved that had the allied terms been
then stated and had they soaked in"
that the state of mind Of the German
people would have been much different
now.
CAUSED LOSS OF RUSSIA.
1t is also recognized that full re-
sponsibility for Russla's detection is
due to this failure to state the affed
war aims earlier. together with short
sightedness of the allied council in
"a 40 ioSe WHICH IdlleQ 10 sense
or play up to the liberalism of Russia
| All information reaching the gov
ernment is that internal conditions in
Germany are bad. The food situation
is unQuestionably serious. The econ
omic situation is more SO.
1t is said, however, that the presi-
dent has not as yet seen any indica-
tion that the increased seriousness Of
either of these conditions is great
enough to. offset the increased strength
Of the militarists
That strength has been made greater
by recent German military successes.
1t has been intensified by desperation
Of the junkers and militarists, now
awake to realization that there can be
no compromise.
NO CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM.
To date there is no evidence comiug
out Of Germany to indicate that the
Lloyd George and Wilson assaults
have added materially 10 the success
of the allies political offensive. I'm
less evidence Is soon forthcoming, 1t is
expected that this offensive will settle
down to a siege to be continued coin
cidentally with the military siege Of
Germany.
The president Is understood to be
seriously concerned over the wave of
fC1nkIn,a1 o,, Do.o rx,,o