The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-24
GERMANY Makes
FORMAL BID FOR
PEACE WITH FOES
Offer Is Extended Thru Spanish
Government.
Asks for Neither Land nor In.
IDENTITIES in West.
DEMANDS RUSSIA As PRIZE
Insists Brest-LitOvsk and Ru-
manian Treaties Stand.
Requires That Britain Give Up
Gibraltar and Suez.
10 IN lnnrII Tn DlnIclcTc
Insists Brest-LitOvsk and Ru-
manian Treaties Stand.
REQUIRES That Britain Give Up
Gibraltar and Suez.
is AN APPEAL TO PACIFISTS
Say United States Officials in
Commenting on Proposal.
Germany Would Settle Ques.
tiOns at Secret Council.

Amsterdam. July 24.-Germany has
made suggestions for a peace confer
ence to the Spanish government. says
the Socialist Vorwaerts of Berlin.
The suggestions are:
"First-Germany wants no annexa-
tons or indemnities in the west.
Would Keep Russia.
"Second-The peace treaties with
Russia and Rumania may not be ques-
toned.
''Third-The principle of self de-
termination of peoples has not been
discussed but may be settled at the
peace conference where the fate of
Belgium also is to be settled
Fourth-The Balkan question is to
be settled around the conference
table.
Demands Use of Coaling Stations.
''Fifth-The freedom of the seas.
the dismantling of Gibraltar and the
Suez canal and the right for Germany
to use coaling stations.
"Sixth-The colonial question is to
be settled on the basis of the status
quo."
The Vorwaerts considers this a very
reasonable peace program.
The term status quo'' applied in
the foregoing to the German colonial
question has Leen rather loosely used
in the past in connection with the
solution of various peace problems. In
general it is employed as an abbrevia-
ton of the term status quo ante
bellum."
Germany's position heretofore, as
indicated by her leading statesmen,
has been one of insistence upon the
return of her colonies, and there has
been nothing in the recent utteranoes
of the German leaders tending to show
that this attitude had been changed.
1t was even indicated that the pawn
held by Germany in the shape of
, Belgium was intended to be used to
secure the giving back of her former
colonial possessions.
An Appeal to Pacifists.
Washington, July 24.-In the peace
suggestions which the Berlin Vorwaerts
declares the German government is
about to advance to the Entente and
America thru the Spanish government
officials here declare the German de-
sign is embodied in some shape in al
most every one of the peace proposals
which have emanated from Berlin or
| Vienna to leave around the table the
i question of peace terms. President
Wilson and Premiers Lloyd George of
Great Britain and Clemenceau of
France have recorded themselves
definitely that no peace conference
will be entered unless there has been
an acceptance by the Central Powers
| of the exact terms upon which the
conference is to be conducted and for
the broad principles to govern the
| negotiators.
| President Wilson's definition of the
| terms upon which America is willing
to discuss peace has been accepted by
| all of the great entente powers as
| representative of their own desires
| Officials point out that Germany is
| quite well aware of these conditions
| and consequently they can only view
| this reported new attempt at peace
negotiations as another appeal to the
/ pacifist elements in the entente and,
also, as intended to quiet socialistic
elements within the central powers
| believed to be again in a dangerous
! mood.
Terms Most Favorable to Huns.
Acting Secretary of State Polk said
! the new terms seemed more favorable
to Germany than any that had been
made hitherto.
Germany's renunciation of any de-
signs on western territory in consider
alton of the retention of the spoils she
had wrung from Russia and Rumania,
thru the Brest-Litovsk and Jassy
treaties, it is also pointed out is di.
rectly at variance with President VIII
sons declaration, seconded by Great
| Britain, of his firm intention to stand
behind Russia.
Finally as further evidence that
these new peace suggestions are un.
acceptable. officials call attention to
President Wilson's firm declaration
that the wrong done to France in 1879
thru the seizure by Germany of Al
sace-Lorraine and the wrong done To
Belgium, in her enforced occupation
by Germany. must be undone
1t is also noted that Vorwaerts is not
representative of the German govern
TT1a in
istic mouthpiece and that 1t would be
the last among the great German pa
pers to be in position to set out the
purposes of the government in ordin-
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