Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-15
PEACE SOON, OR LONG
WAR, To Be DECIDED
IN FORTNIGHT, BELIEF
Feeling in Washington Is That
Decision Is Near Lansing
Says We Are in Wart to
the End

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The posi-
slche Zeitung (Berlin) says that the i'm
perlal German chancellor, Count Won
Hertling, will reply to President Will
sons and Premier Lloyd Georges
speeches before the main committee of
the reichstag Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, Jan. lathe posi-
bility. of peace negotiations before
spring or the certainty of an indefi-
mite prolongation of the war will be
definitely decided within the next fort
night, according to the administration
view as it was semi-officially given to-
day.
The issue will be determined solely
by the effect of the peace aim state
ments upon liberal political leaders and
upon the masses of the people in Ger
many. To date the German press
comment has all been most bitter.
1t is said that little later the
fuIl ntext of the message will reach
the socialist and liberal political lead
ers. 1t may produce same effect then.
The president realizes the militarist
grip on Germany is tighter now than
ever before. In addition the statement
of allied war aims has made German
Junkers and militarists willing to go to
any extreme The allied program, if
successful, means oblfteration for them
and for their theories. Their only pos
sible 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 bad blunder was
made and a year practically lost by
failure to reply last winter to the Ger
man peace maneuvers 1t is believed
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.
1t is also recognized that full respon-
sibility for Russia's detection is due
to this failure to state the allied coun-
ell in Paris last summer which failed
to sense or play up to the liberalism of
Russia.
All information reaching the govern
ment is that internal conditions in Ger
many are bad. The food situation is
unquestionably serious. The economic
situation is more so. 1t is said, how
ever, that the president has not as yet
seen any indication that the increased
seriousness of either of these conditions
is great enough to offset the increased
strength of the militarists. The strength
has been made greater by recent Ger
man military successes. 1t has been
intensified by desperation of the junk
ers and militarists, now awake to re-
alization that there can he no compro-
mise.
To date there is no evidence coming
out of Germany to indicate that the
Lloyd-George and Wilson assaults have
added materially to the success of the
allies political offensive. Unless evil
dence is soon forthcoming, it is ex-
pected 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 Sc
riously concerned over the wave OF I'M
justified optimism which has swept
across the country following the peace
aims statements by Lloyd-George ana
himself. This optimism has at no time
been entertained by those people CLOS
est to the president.
SANTIAGO, Chile, Jan. l5'-Presl-
dent Wilson's speech to congress mas
had q marked effect on public opinion IN
regard to the war and has been recelV-
ed very favorably by the press. Ihe
nurposes for which the United states
entered the war are understood as they
have not been previously, and the news
papers express APPROVAL of the just mo-
tives revealed by Mr.. wilson's utter
ances.