The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-16
POLITICAL CRISIS
IS SETTLED
Agreement in Germany Where
by Chancellor and linden
burg Can Each Have
Free Hand.
VERY CONVENIENT PLAN
One Man Can Deal With Russia While
Another Can Take Care
Of the West
Front.
VERY CONVENIENT PLAN

IUnited Press Leased Wire Service
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 16.-The l-okal
Anzeiger announced today settlement
of the political crisis" in Germany
by which Chancellor Hertling's view
point is to be maintained on the east
and Hindenburg is to be given free
hand in the event of a German VIC
tory to deal with any possible annex
ations on the west front
The agreement" apparently means
that Hertling's plans for no an
nexations" policy toward Russia are
to be carried out on the northern and
eastern fronts and the pan-German.
militarist policy Of territorial as-
grandizement is to- rule as to France
and Belgium. The pan-Germans have
persistently maintained that Germany
must never surrender the valuable
iron section of France and Belgium.
Labors Peace Appeal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-The Brit
ish labor partys peace appeal to Rus
sia and Germany was regarded In
many quarters today as one OF the
most compelling and significant
moves undertaken In the political Of
fensive against Teuton militarism.
1t was considered telling stroke
by the most vital element now in any
pulation-the labor group.
Sweeping aside the Russian thought
that Britain has tended to abandon
her. the appeal was regarded as show
ing real fraternity between the la
bor of Britain and of Russia and OF
Germany.
1t served, as experts saw 1t, to
point out further the dullictty and
treachery of the German Brest-Lit-
ovsk negotiators while it held out the
hope to Germany that she would re-
gain her African colonies.
Manifestly born of war-weariness.
the appeal, however, was regarded
as showing firm and loyal determ-
ination on the part Of labor to see Il
through" even to the point OF ma
tional exhaustion.
Further it cast on Germany the
odium Of further continuance of the
war Officials deemed it most sis
nificant that the labor party declared
for self determination for India and
Ireland. thereby shutting out any
possible German or Russian answer
that England was preaching what she
did not practice.
British labor is at the root Of re-
cent war aims statements.
That there has been a growing dis
content in labor quarters is known.
And largely in response to the NUT
terings of that group, Lloyd-George,
followed by President Wilson, stated
war aims clearly, eliminating for all
time any claim that the allies are
imperialistic.
Between the British appeal and the
Germans brusque refusal to quit the
Baltic provinces, the Russians, 1t Is
felt here, will eventually tire of bar
tering with the enemy.
Today's German report of settle.
ment Of Germany's internal political
difficulties was regarded as conf
promise. Hertling himself was a
compromise and while he is given
control Of policy in the east, it was
deemed significant that the militar'
lists were unable to make Hindenburg
or some other militarist complete
controller of policy instead of dictator
as to the west only. However, some
authorities cautioned that Hertling' 5
power in the east may have been
granted only as a sop to liberal opin-