Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-07

Prince MACMILLAN OF Baden.
London, Oct. 7.-Distrust of Ger
many's intentions or skepticism as
to the result of the peace overtures
of the central powers are reelected
in comments made on the peace
proposals by the newspapers here.
The Mail says Germany's offer
''naans not peace, but trickery."
In Prince Maxmilian's speech" :"
the newspaper continues, there is
not a word Of repentance for crimes
Germany has committed. He Of
fers proposals which are less than
the conditions which will be impos-
ed by the allies as preliminaries to
any discussion at all.
I'VE did not allow Bulgaria to
tell us what to do. We told her
what she had to do. We intend to
act precisely in the same way with
Germany and Austria
If the German people wish to
know what guarantees President
Wilson and the allies require, they
may be embodied in two words, 'un-
conditional surrender The Ger
mans must leave the territories
they have occupied, restore the
property they have stolen. pay for
all the damage they have done, and
surrender for trial by the allies the
VIII Net Get Colonies.
The Mail says there about 500 Of
these, beginning with the emperor
It also declares that Germany will
in no circumstances be given back
her colonies.
This method OF approaching
peace is the method of a people try
ing to strike a bargain, and the
peace that is coming is not going
to be a bargain. peace.
The newspaper sees marked
change in Germany's attitude as to
certain matters in dispute, but de-
clares the proposals as a whole to
be impossible.
Even the most strongly paciflst
element in this country has endors-
ed the demand for the evacuat on
Of France and belgium" II says, 'as
a condition precedent to negotia-
tons, and Prince Macmillan knows
that, in asking for negotiations and
an arm :st'ce while German armies
are in France and Belgium he is
asking for an mpossibility. Nego-
tiating under such circumstances
would be an admission of Germans
superiority and concede the loss Of
the war by the nations who are aim
ing to break German militarism.
For this reason we cannot believe
the peace offer to be seriously
meant"
Sees No ChTnge.
The newspaper repudiates the
idea Of trying to reach an under
standing as to indemnity for Bel
GUM. It says:
1T is Il requirement of simple
Justice that Germany meet the ac-
count which wifi be presented her
for the devastation and plundering
Of Belgium. There are no funda-
mental changes IN the German ad-
ministration Only few men have
been shifted, and the kaiser and
those who rule him are still the
rulers OF Germany"
Admitting that the latest Ger
man peace move is the most impor-
tant OF any thus far made. and con-
fident that the allies VIII give the
closest attention 10 H. the Chron-
icle says they will fnh IL insult
cient
NO statesmen who believe in the
Wilsonian policy of trying TO end
war once and for all can be con
tent with ANYTHING less than the
final elimination Of the Potsdam
war-makers." 1t continues: There
must he restitution. reparation and
guarantees and the criminals who
launched the war must b. s0 nm
mistakab blv beaten that never after
ward doubt rA7y he raised as 10
who won it and who lost il