Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-16
Rejected in London.

.vitation to the belligerents 70 meet
IN informal peace, discussions is in
d%ignantly rejected by the London
morning papers. The note is seen by
commentators a S a German trick in
which Austria is made the cats paw
the German high command to o
ganize its shattered troops. The offer
Of peace to Belgium is regarded as
a shameless insult.
The Austrian note does not bring
real peace any nearer" says the Ex-
press. preliminary conditions to
peace have been stated over and
over again by the Allies and there ID
not the faintest suggestion that the
central powers will agree to any one
of these conditions. They who drew
the sword are scheming to save
themselves from perishing by the
sword. The disingenuousness Of the
note betrays hat it was written in
Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin"
Relative to the offer of peace to
Belgium the Express says:
scheme and part o fthe same plan for
preserving the power of the Hohen-
zollerns."
After referring to the sinking of
the Galway Castle as a coincidence Of
the offer of peace, the newspapers
says:
to any hole in the corner negotia-
tons. Democracy now is at the helm
tottering and if the German people
are to save themselves from falling
with it they. must insist on the pre-
liminary conditions. which alone
make useful talk possible
"Our peace terms have been made
abundantly- clear" says the Post.
when Germany and her dependents
are ready to accept them they can
let US know. There will be no abate-
ment to them. Germany must be
beaten and must recognize she is
beaten. Until then her suggestions
for peace conferences are not to be
regarded n more than. the crack
ling of thorns under a pot"
Ono Exception.
The pacifist Daily News is The sole
exception to the prevalent tone of
comment. Anticipating general re-
lection of the Austrian proposals it
says that responsible, sober-minded
men should nevertheless face the pro-
iposals s%quarely. The newspaper ar
cues that discussions must occur
sooner or later as a preliminary to
peace and says,
There is no solid ground on which
statesmen sincerely Jealous for peace
can justify the rejection of the Aus
TRAN proposals. Discussion would
not involve an armistice. There
would be no question of the Allies
compromising their fundamental
remote prospect that discussions
might leave Germany obdurate, they
might have q very different result
in the case Of Turkey, Bulgaria and
even Austria. The Allies, with an
unassailable moral case, have every
thing to gain and nothing t lose by
discussion"
IAN impudent sham, is the Mails
editorial head owe its comment on
the not which it describes as an
other form Of an old German trick"
The German emperor is a vsntrilo-
quist whose voice we may hear in this
Austrian telegram, the newspaper
continues, land we hear it because
the military masters under whom
Germany is bleeding are afraid. II
is not humanity which they have
in view but the safety of their own
skins. The German trick has been
disposed of in advance of President
Wilson's mastery addresses. Mr..
with autocracy," applies to Austria
as well as Prussia and for the same
cause no German autocracy can be
trusted for an hour. The Allied at
titude is clear. We require repara-
ton, restitution and guarantees and
since the fresh German outrages on
French territory, we require the pun
ishment of the criminals. Nothing
less will do. We remind the enemy
can be no compromise; no half way
decision is tolerable.'"
Another Scrap Of Paper.
As to the offer to Belgium, the Mail
says It'll 8 insulting and only OFFERS
Belgians one more scrap of paper"
The note is absurd on the very
face OF it," says the Telegraph. 1T
is d~isingenous, cynical and insincere,
while the proposal to Belgium IS both
i%nsincere and tnsolent. Germany as
a power is, not to be trusted. Her
most solemn compacts are fa1sified
by her actions. We must find a re-
pentent and contrite Germany. and
German policy carried out by very
different rulers before we can even
hope to discuss peace. It is true that
all nations desire the end Of the war.
but peace must be lasting. It must
be one founded on the recognition Of
the independence of nations. Above
all 1t must be one, which In Mr.. Will
SOH WOrOS, makes Inc world safe for
democracy. Negotiations at the pres
ent moment, even though they
brought temporary peace would only,
postpone the struggle Of right and
might. AS long as the kaiser and the
pan-Germans direct with irresistible
authority the destinies Of Germany.
so long can be no question Of an.
.armistice or purely academic negotia-
tons"
The oficial telegram proceeds to
say that the note has been drawn up
in French and runs as follows:
The peace offer which the powers
Of the ~quadruple Alliance addressed
to their opponents on December 70.
1916. and the conciliatory basic ideas
Of which they have never given up
signifies, despite the rejection which
1T experienced, an important stage IN
the history of this. war. In contrast
to the first two and q half war ar
the question Of peace has from thaf
fmonnent been the center OF European.
faye, OF world discussion, and dofni.
mates 1t in ever Increasing
S~ta2ennents Not Uniform.
Almost all the belligerent states
have in turn again and again expres1-
ed themselves on the question 81
peace, tts prerequisites and conditions.
The line of Development Of this dis
cus1ion, h0wever,ShAa not been unf-
form and eteady The basic stand
ypoinf$ Chauteo under thu sinduencAs0f