Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-24
ytIvalter Peace
Bait RenelCed
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terest whatever here in feelers for peace
put forth from Germany, The balance
OF the war has swung against Germany.
Nof only In the fighting on the western
front. but in the developments now con.
cealed in Austria Hungary. the swing Is
against the Central Powers, and all
of the Allies are straining every nerve
to take full advantage of 1t.
Germany has failed to deviate essen.
TALLY from her first bid for peace. made
by Chancellor ven Bethmann- -Hollwes
on December 10, 1915. and transmitted
to the Entente nations by the neutrals
United States, Spain and Switzerland.
Then. as now. Germany sought resto-
ration Of the status quo in the west on
the basis of no annexations or indemni.
ties
The salient terms of their proposal
were:
First. Exchange of Belgium and
northern France for the captured Ger
man colonies.
Second Retention of Alsace-Lor-
rane.
Third The new kingdom of Poland.
fashioned cut of Russian territory,
to he recognized by the Entente Allies.
Fourth. Russia to consent 20 the
erection also of a new kingdom of
Lithuana.
Fifth The integrity Of Turkey and
Bulgaria.
Sixth The remainder of the Bal
kans to he a land of barter with the
Central Powers as the recognized pos
sessCr of these pawns.
Rejected by Allies
These terms failed to meet those of
the Allies and were entirely rejected by
the Allies in favor Of an unqualified VIC
tory.
The British Premier enunciated the
Allied terms as:
First. The recovery for Belgium OF
all and more than she had sacrificed.
Second. The restoration of Serbia.
Third Adequate security for France
against aggression.
Fourth Establishment Of the rights
Of the small nations of Europe upon
an unassailahle foundation.
Fifth The destruction of the MILF
tary domination of Prussia.
To these terms were added the resto-
ration of Alsace-Lorraine.
The peace with Russia. which Ger
many seeks to maintain, Is known as
the Rrest-1itovsk treaty, framed with
the Bolsheviki in January, 1919. ny
which Russia surrendered extensive
rights to the Teutons, also indemnltles'
which would amount to close to a bill
lion dollars, If paid.
Peace talk again filled the air in An
gust and September, 1917. when Pope
Benedict asked the Powers engaged In
the war to negotiate peace upon the
general principle of reciprocal disarma-
ment
His principal proposals were:
The supplementing of force of arms
by moral right and the dim!nuuon
Of armament upon system to be
agreed upon at the peace table.
Substitution of arbitration for arm
les.
4 complete and reciprocal con-
donation of wrongs done and dam
ages inflicted.
Return of all occupied territory.
Cancellation Of territorial ques-
tions on the basis of equity
Freedom of the seas.
Germany quickly responded with the
hope that the proposal would succeed
President Wilson. in an answer that
was not largely different from that of
the other Powers in its primary condi-
ton, expressed a determination not to
make peace with the military autocracy
of Germany, and a Willingness to es-
tablish peace with German people
lust so soon as they controlled their
own government.
The most recent chapter in the state
ment of peace terms was on July 4,
when President Wilson enunciated these
aims:
First. The destruction of every ar
bitrary power anywhere that can dis
turb the peace of the world.
second, The settlement OF every
question upon the basis OF the free
ucc.ptsnce of that settlement by the
peoples immediately concerned.
Third. The consent Of all nations
to b, governed in their conduct to-
ward each other by the same prin-
ciples Of honor that govern the in
dividual citizens of all modern states
in their relations with one another,
to the end that all promises and
covenants may be sacredly observed.
Fourth. The establishment of an
organization of peace which shall make
n certain that the combined power
Of free nations will check every in
vasion of right.