The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-05
BERLIN REFUSES
TO TALK PEACE
AT STOCKHOLM.
Won't Permit Russia to Pre-
scribe Meeting Place,
Reichstag Is Told.
UNYIELDING ON TERMS
AS to Occupation of Territory
Hertling Says Teutons Rely
on "Just Rights"

BERLIN 'Nia AmSterdamJ. Jan. A.
Germanys uncompromising attitude in
regard to the peace negotiations with the
Russian Bolshoviki at Brest- -Litovsk was
brought out strongly in two speeches be-
fore the Main Committee OF the Reichstas
yesterday and to-day by Count Won
Hertling. the Imperial Chancellor. In
his address yesterday he had referred to
incidents that might change the situation
from day to day and he explained to-
DAY that the Russian proposal to trans
fer the peace discussions to Stockholm
was such an incident. Concerning this
he said:
Apart from the fact that We are not
in position to permit the Russians to
prescribe where we should continue the
negotiations. the transference to Stock
holm would lead to great difliculties.''
He added that DR.. Won Kuhlmann. the
German Foreign Minister. had been in
structed to reject the proposal.
Regarding the Russian rejection of the
German peace terms because Of the pro-
posed retention Of occupied Russian ter
ritory. the Chancellor said in his speech
yesterday:
I'VE can chesrfully await the further
course Of this incident. We rely upon
our strong position. our loyal intentions
and our Just rights.
Chancellor Asks ssgxestie.s.
The Government, would take advan, &c
of this opportunity. the Chancellor said,
TO make communications on the course
the peace negotiations. SO far had taken
and he said he desired to receive sug-
Eestions from the representatives Of the
people. In the absence Of the Foreign
Secretary. the Under Secretary for For
eign Affairs. Baron Won dem Bussche-
Haddenhausen, would instead undertake
the task.
Baron Won dem Bussche- -Ha Ode mia usen
gave to tha Main Committee the history
of events leading to the peace neRotia-
fions. lie said the armistice negotiations
had taken a rapid and smooth course
and had reached general satisfactory
conclusion on December Is.
Parallel with tho negotiations at
Brest-Litovsk ran the negotiations at
Fokshani for an ar1iiistics on the south
eastern front. at which conference Ru-
nsnka was rep1eSented.
The peacc negotiations which fol-
lowed, the Baron decikfed. naturally
) were very d,fTicuit ar tney had to be
conducted between the coalition ON one
hand and a single Power on the other.
As to the course Of the negotiations the
public had been Informed to a greater
extent than usually was the Case This
has made the negotiations moro difti-
cult as the Entente Powers were 'en-
abled to impede the negotiations by cir
culating false news"
Various Proposals. Reviewed.
Baron Won dem Bussche- -Hudde mia :
posals. the German counter proposals
and the tasks OF the German commission
sent to Petrograd to deal with the aues-
tions of subjects OF the Central Powers
interned, wounded soldiers and pris-
oner.
During the debate "A member of the
Centrist party expressed approval, on
tho whole. Of the attitude of the German
representatives at est-I.itovsk. and
SAID
sour aim must be not only to arrive
at an understanding with the Bolshe-
vik Government, but TO reach a lasting
peace with the Russian people and pre-
vent war in future"
The speaker asserted that the Con-
stitntiona' bodies now existing In Po-
land. Lthuania and Courland. estab-
lished on valid law, express the will OF
the peoples Of those territories.
A Socialist member declared II would
be IN the interest Of the Empire to
recognize the principle Of the right of
peoples to self-deternination.
political life in the occupied terri
| tories is obstructed by military pressure.
which must be removed he said. "The
negotiations In tho Fast must he con
Quoted to satisfactory end This is
the will OF the German people and OF
the German nation itself"