EtEAj!S' octqbeb .1. 1917 U nc EXr 1 ' 'Tlie world was astonished and surprised at the German move for peace, but no one knew whether it was to be taken 'seriously. Great Britain instructed her embassies and legations in neutral countries to find out whether the Chancellor really desired to make peace or whether his statements were to quiet internal troubles " REPUBLIC ? Copm.hU kit. bt " """" 7?!l ...-. ii born CompiV . I tofarnxgunizedHad the Situation in Germany W JSMm "'"t" i ' - " u L- J i II lOFDMANY tv . ;ja , vopjrunt, nil. "' I t t A, tow' e IIM AIM, bv ') hv ch own i nut i" wo; 9 8 ON.'' T a F 'l . 7 J v . H 'I ") , mom at the End, ms mm ii- v , ' M UttlunwonUHWent to Great Head" farters o Plcd With the Kaiser arid Von Iiindcnhurg fojitEtort to Quiet German Public Opinim;r , 0 f TVtw cJSSBorn the Noted Peace Proffer Which W,s uenouncw uy ... ..o w imtntereProposalImmcdiatelu After Thmt the Official Press Bureau Was Reor r&diend a Wan Trusted by the Military iPkmd in Charge KftONTJSD by graver troubles within Germany than those from ttld, the'Chancellor went to great headquarters to report IwmM be done to unite the German nation. rtiil the army had been successful in Rumania and had given Dm Jtefple renewed confidence, this was not great enough to carry 'ttw jple through another nard winter. Hy tfat iw ships' would be sunk without warning, the submarines v lift adhering very closely tto the written instructions. The irhtk werjd was -aroused wcr Germany's repeated disregard of v ' ,&&' and practice ofjjjea Warfare. President Wilson, through JlHrtninim'irr Gerard, had sent nine inquiries to the Foreign Office fl)rfjir for a report from. Germany on the sinking of vurious ships uI"mu' Minlpinr in tntpmntional lnw. hut rnntrnMj n r!omnn..n fmL In an attempt ta ward off many of the neutral indict ftti f Germany's sea warfare the official North German Gazette r I'W tT?'acation containing the following: AmOfffcM U-Doat Pronouncement "The activity of our submarines in the Atlantic Ocean and WWte Sea: has led the press of the entire world to producing 'wttcfei a to the waging of cruiser warfareby means of subma- ! In both cases it can he nreurntnlv cfutn 4liof V.n. : - M el. submarine wnrfnrn horn, hut- nf mlini. ,nf ..... .i 7--. , w w .&ui.a ttuiiaic nugvu L Hm AUDDOrt rflf Ruhmnrinoa nnil thn lfnita nMAr..l 1.!4t.n.i. 1e activities of our submarines do not admit of any other h,.jii piie oi ine cnaeavors ot the Uritish press to twist present facts. It is also strictly correct to state that -warfare which is heincr wnci-rl hv mnt nf uiVmiirlno. 'trict compliance with the German prize regulations, which iipond to the international rules laid down and agreed to in Declaration of London, which arc not being any more complied by England. The accusations nnd rlinrwa hrnncrhl- fmi.nr.l Vl.'- r ! . . . . .... arm po jiiiuan press ana propaganaa campaign in connect on with jrV,.'fclps sunfe can be shown as futile.'asour position is, both militarily M nA from the standpoint of international law, irreproachable. We F 4n not sink neutral ships per se, as was recently declared in a .- proclamation, but the ammunition transports and other contraband ' 'W&fe8 Conducive tn till nrnlnnrrnt-fnn nf thn xtrn nnr) 4-Vin w:t.iH Ar p defensive measures as regards this cannot be denied Germany any more man any other country. "Based on this idea, it is clearly obvious that the real loss of the destruction of tonnage must be attributed to the supplies sent to England and not to the attitude displayed by Germany, which lus but recourse to purely defensive measures. If the attitude displayed by England toward neutrals during the courseof this W be considered, the manner in which it forced compulsory supplies of contraband goods, etc., it can be further recognized that England is responsible for the losses in ships, as it is owing to England's Attitude that the cause is to be found. "Although Encland has hit and crinnled WiHmntn trnrlo n ek an extent, Germany does not wish to act in the same manner, kut simply to stop the shipments of contrabaand goods Calculated 'to lengthen the war. England evidently is being hard hit by our -, 'defensive submarine measures and is, therefore, doing all in her power to incite public opinion against the German methods of warfare and confuse opinion in neutral countries. Anerelore it must again be recalled that it is: "England which has crippled neutral trade! "England which has rendered the freeddm of the seas impossible! "England which has extended the risk of contraband wares in 'l'l.- i! ..e - i ... " " "" - "" " -""""""' -m'"1 -" .saateLia-i'Sii " "as - " -" "-" c"-""'' -"" i w by excess of international agreements, and now raises a cry when the same weapons are used against herself. "England which has compelled the neutrals to supply these shipments of contraband goods calculated to lengthen the war! "As the neutrals' quietly ncquiesccd when there was h question of abandoning trade with the Central Powers, they have remedies in hand for the losses of ships which affect them so deeply. They need only consider the fact that German submarines on the high seas are able to prevent war services to the enemy in the ship ments of contraband goods in a manner that is both militarily and from the standpoint of international law irreproachable. If they agree to desist from the shipment of contraband goods and cease yielding to British pressure, then they will not have to complain of losses in ships and can retain the same for peaceful aims." This was aimed especially at' America. Naval critics did not permit the opportunity to pass to call to the attention of the Gov ernment, that Germany's promises in the Sussex case were only conditional and that, therefore, they could be broken at any time. The Chancellor was in a most difficult situation; so was Von Hindenburg and the Kaiser. On December 10 it was announced that the Reichstag would be called to a special session on the twelfth and that the Chancellor would discuss the international situation as it was affected by the Rumanian campaign. The meeting of December 12 was the best attended and most impressive one of the Reichstag since August 4, 1914. Before the Chancellor left his palace he called the representatives of the neutral nations and handed them Germany's peace proposal. The same day Germany sent to every part of the globe through her wireless stations Germany's note to the Allied and the Chancellor's uddress. Germany's Peace Offer Surprised the World The world was astonished and surprised at the German move, but no one knew whether it was to be taken seriously. Great Britain instructed her embassies and legations in neutral countries to attempt to find out whether the Chancellor really desired to make peace or whether his statements were to be interpreted as something to quiet internal troubles. During the days of discussion which followed I was in close touch with, the Foreign Office, the American embassy and the Gen eral Staff. The first intimation I received that Germany did not expect the peace plan to succeed was on December 14 at a meeting of the neutral correspondents with Lieutenant Colonel von Haeften When Von Hindenburg became chief of the General Staff he reor ganized the press department in Berlin and -sent Von Haeften from his personal staff to Berlin to direct the press propaganda. As a student of public opinion abroad Von Haeften was a genius and was extremely iranK ana honest with the correspondents. "We have proposed jieaco to our enemies," he said to the correspondents, "because we feel that we have been victorious and because we believe that no matter how long the war con tinues the Allies will not be able to defeat us. It will be inter esting to see what effect our proposal has upon Russia. Reports which we have received, coming from unquestionable sources, , state that internal conditions in Russia arc desperate; that food is scarce; that the transportation system is so demoralized that it will be at least eight months before Russia can do anything in a military way. Russia wants peace and needs peace, and we shall see now whether she has enough influence upon England to compel England to make peace. We are pre pared to go on with the war if the Allies refuse our pro posals. If we do we shall. not give an inch without making the Allies pay such a dear cost that they will net be able to continue." The Foreign Office was not optimistic over the possibilities of success. Officials realized that the new Lloyd George Cabinet meant a stronger war policy by Great Britain, but they thought the peace proposals might shake the British confidence in the new Government and cause the overthrow of Lloyd George and the return of Asquith and Viscount Edward Grey. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers