Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-01-05
TEUTOnS LATEST
PEACE PROPOSALS:
No Faith Is Placed BY Wash
ington Officials.
MADE THROUGH RUSSIA
Americas Purpose Has Not Altered
Will Enter Into No Pact with
Present Prussian Govern
ment.

Neutrality-suspicious. proposals
TO the Russian Bo!shevik ENJOYS
through the Austro-H Hungarian Foreign
Minister for a basis of peace have at
tracted little more than passing inter-
est here, chiefly because the attitude
of the United States Government has
not changed in any degree since Pres
ident Wilson solemnly told Congress
that the word of the present rulers OF
Germany could not be accepted fcr
anything worth while.
Moreover, officials here think the
very conditions imposed by the Teu-
tonic plenipotentiaries stamp their
promises of no annexations and no In
IDENTITIES as insincere.
Il has been assumed from the first
that the object Of the Germans would
be to keep the Russians talking as long
MS possible, confuse the situation in
every conceivable way and thereby
gain time for further troop movements
to France, while impressing their peo-
ple at home with the idea that the
Kaiser really wants to make peace.
Americas Purpose Firm.
One condition regarded as impos-
sible for the present, at least, IS that
the adherence of all belligerents must
be secured to the peace the Germans
are tying to make with Russia before
It car become effective. This is &C
compared by a demand for the return
| IF the German colonies now in the pos
eession Of Russia's allies.
It can he stated authoritatiyely that
the position of the American Govern
ment has not changed in any respect
with regarl TO it's determination to en-
ter into no agreement with a Govern
ment which does not represent The
free will Of the governed people. This
would dispose of any hope the Ger
mans might have that the Russian:
could induce America to subscribe tt
the peace treaty which they are nov
trying to arrange. AS for the German
colonies, the American Government
|
iect and Lloyd George recently de
clared that was subject for the peace
conference.
Alsace-l orraine In Way.
No provision is made in Count Cze,
Minis terms for the return to France Q
Alsace-Lorraine, which is regarde
here as condition that must be me
as a preliminary to any peace agree
Ment, an understanding declared b
President Wilson in his message t
Congress. In the light Of the extrao
binary efforts Germany has been NAL
Ing to rid those provinces of Frenc
inhabitants it is believed here thu
Germany may propose a plebiscite {
Inhabitants, relying upon the vote {
German soldiers and the imported &c
man population, but such propOs;
probably would be rejected by tn
J. United States and her co-belligerent
: Apparently Belgium is promise
D freedom by Count Czernin if all tt
; other German demands are met. B,
officials note there Is reservation, 9
D most inseparab!e from German dipl
Y macy, in the shape of guarantee:
Y which Germany requires to insure Il
r execution Of all these complicated ia
:, tors OF the peace treaty. From publ
r declarations of German statesmen al
n publicists, 1t is understood that
guarantees" Germany would insist ,
retaining contro! of Belgium for .
Indefinite period.
No Freedom For Poland.
!" The German insistence that Il
pledge to restore the political inc
= pendence Of countries occupied by t
II Central Powers shall not apply to Z
at tionalities which did not previous
re enjoy independence is regarded
le aimed directly at the projected Poll
Of state. Even were such a state Great
d. Is a result of the peace treaty,
es would have to be on the lines of
C. subject-kingdom which Germany a
- Austria already have created.
ke 1t is accepted by Washington o
n Gals that the Contra! Powers are p
pared to make every effort to reg.
control of Russian trade and marke
D. which are threatening to pass to Am
lea in return for Americas substant
|