The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-07
ARE PEACE 0VERTURES ONLY
SPARR|NC TO GAIN Time ?

her crimes. Furthermore, she must
promise full indemnity. This stand IS
strengthened by Frances ultimatum
that Germany must surrender.
Rejection by U. S.
Washington, Oct. 7.-Instant rejec-
ton by the United States will be the
fate Of the latest peace proposals from
the central powers.
President Wilson will handle the
situation, and handle it in hurry.
He is expected to act as soon as the
state department receives officially
the text of the notes from Berlin and
Vienna.
There was no disposition in official
circles to distinguish between the
German and Austrian moves, as the
proposals are deemed but another step
IL the great peace offensive now ur-
Ger way. Because the two govern
nents are acting in accordance on the
matter word of similar action on the
art of Turkey is expected mOmentar-
lily
Peace for Germany Now lmpossible.e
1t can be stated semiofficially, how
ever, that peace is impossible at the
present time as far as either Germany
or Austria is concerned. The reason
|. is impossible is because they have
made it so. Officials expressed dis
gust at the hypocrisy which cloaks
the present proposals and which
glares from beneath the camouflage of
good faith.
See Foe Trying to Gain Time.
The opinion still obtains here
among army and navy officials that
Austria and Germany are working to-
gether with deceptive propositions in
order to gain time with which to over
come the panic among their peoples,
The branch of the government most
keenly interested is the war depart
ment. Views were expressed by some
of it's officials today which are of un-
usual interest.
Views at the Capital.
These may be stated in this way:
1. The changes in the cabinet OF
the kaiser and their first fruits, this
offer of Prince Maximilian. are con-
fessiOn of defeat.
enough while there is a single army
in the field furiously fighting rear
guard actions and devastating Bel
gian and ; French towns as they
iIetrograde under our pressure. The
! desolation they are leaving in their
track casts grave doubt on the pro-
fessions Of sincerity in their peace
proposals.
8. What stands out wildly as the
main point of the speech Of Prince
Macmillan and the Austrian actual
proposals is an armistice.
4. AS we understand the presidents
Losition it will be in vain to appeal
for an armistice unless the two enc
my governments first state what
they propose to do pending that
armistice That means that the over
lures are open to grave suspicion.
| 5. What is manifestly necessary is
q statement with guarantees from
10th governments that they will
abide not merely by the propositions
of the president, which nowhere men
tons an arnlistice but that they will
ii an armistice be granted, accept
any conditions that the president will
impose.
| 6. From the military point of view
an armistice that would meet the
views of the United States, as under
stood here, should carry with the
for performance.
Must Quit Invaded Soil.
"One of these hostages, or guaran-
tees, should be what we would call
the minimum" said a high official,
"and that means we will not talk
armistice until they have withdrawn
| into their own country and have
abandoned all conquered territory.
"The second would be the maxi
mum, namely, that after they have
withdrawn across the Rhine the allies
shall be allowed to occupy some of
the Rhine towns, preferably the
Rhine fortresses- implies a de-
mobilization of the enemies armies
and the allies, or probably the United
States, would administer Alsace and
Lorraine until final adjustment had
been made at the peace congress-"
The imposition of such terms would
not be incompatible with what is
generally understood to be the presi-
dents idea of just peace, because
it involves the actual forcing Of the
Germans and Austrians out Of the
field by force of arms and their
Willingness to abide by what the
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