The Washington times., 1918-01-02

| Attitude o fGoverament.
These quotations REPRESENT In reality
the attitude Of the UnItsd states Gov
ernment toward a general peace-it Is
unchanged really from the reply made
BY the President TO the Pope's plea but
II cannot be'said that the same attitude
or indifference to- what Germany seeks
applies to the Russian situation The
entente VIII try to prevent a separate
peace between Russia and Germany by
counter offensive OF peace expires
sions. II il is possible to do So Confer
ences between Lloyd George and Pre-
mier Clemenceau at Paris as well as
confidential exchanges with the United
states are designed to offset the German
peace propaganda In Russia
There Is a certain amount OF con
fusion, however, in Government Sir
cles here and apparently IN London
and Paris on the policy chat ought to
be pursued toward Russia The exact
meaning OF the German proposals to
Russia is still unknown and the pur-
poses behind thf Berlin governnisnes
complex offer Sof terms are unsx-
planned. The fact is the Government
here doesn't know GeTmany's plans
and feels more or less in the dark
about them.
Cannot Answer Yet.
Whether the central powers are
endeavoring TO draw the allies Into
a discussion that shall divide ire en-
tente, and whether the Leuins-
Trotsky government can keep tur-
hulent Russia at peace when once
terms are concluded, are questions
that the American Government itself
cannot answer, though il is oossthls :
Developments OF the next few days
may put the allied gORarnmentR,
which are closer to .PetEograd. in pos-
session OF more information on which
to base Judgment -.---..-- ~..-s
But in the meantime the United
States Government prefers to make no
public expression of its attitude
toward the German negotiations with
Russia Rumors that the negotiations
have broken on or will not succeed
are constant, and the whole situation
10 so confused that officials admit
they must IDEAL with 1t day by day
as circumstances arise.
Fixed In DetsrIaIaatIoE.
But on the subject Of general peaees
they are all fixed in their determination
to see the war prosecuted vigorously
until there Is a change in the present
government in Germany, until a respon-
sible democracy arises with which the
rest Of the world can feel safe in deal
ing, a government that VIII not keep all
other nations constantly on the anxious
seat and therefore constantly under
arms with burdens OF taxation : and ]
even in time ofspeace. gov
ernment that will be able to give the
world some convincing evidence OF sin-
cerity before the civilized nations will
Hare to risk an arTnistice For the
psychological dangers which any tenn
oorary stOppage Of the-WaE machine
must bring are thoroughly understood
here. r---z -.
Peace sentiment no doubt Is, grow
ing in Great Britain and France,
whose leaders are constantly inApif-
ing their peoples to greater effort by
referring to the expected aid OF the
newest ally-the URitd States. II the
american Government shows signs OF
\ eakening, officials feel that the
whole entente cause may by con-
fAsion be depressed and dispfrited
So il is not unlikely that the frst
sign OF a real peace will come not
rom Washington but from London or
Paris-at any rate that is the present
lSpect OF affairs