FULL TEXT OF PFACE OFFER IN WILSON'S HANDS [Continued From l'irst l'agf.] I pany the transmittal with some ex-1 presaion of hope, in some form, that the proposals ior consideration ofl peace shall not be rejected without : examination and reflection. There is I a prevailing opinion here that the • President wants to do something of i the sort and is looking forward to : some movement for a league of na tions to preserve peace as one of the elements of the settlement of the war. j It is possible that some means may be taken to establish a little more definitely the temper of the entente 1 allies toward peace proposals before the President acts, but It is understood there will be no delay in forwarding the German notes to the foreign belli gerent capitals. After reading the Gorman note S carefully Secretary Lansing said that' while there were some differences in translation when compared with the unofficial copy and while the order of , arrangement of some of the para-1 graphs was a little different there was absolutely no change in meaning. Mr. Lansing said the note would go for ward to the belligerents presumably to-day and that no decision had been reached as to whether the t'nited States would accompany it with any expression. The German note was the only one j to arrive. Nothing has been heard from the communications from Aus tria. Bulgaria or Turkey but it is said I they would be forwarded lu the same j manner without delay. At least one of the European i neutrals here already has sent a dis-1 patch to his home government asking to be authorized to assure President "Wilson of the support of his govern- • ment in sending some expression to the entente allies designed to influence them to give consideration to the offer to discuss peace. There are indica tions that soma of the other neutrals! may follow suit.. The German embassy to-day had no new advices on the situation and the I Turkish and Bulgarian representatives' were entirely without any dispatches from home. The Swiss minister called on Secre- I tary Lansing. His visit, coupled with' the fact that one other neutral Is mov ing to support the President In any effort to secure a consideration of peace, led to the belief that some light : on the attitude of the United States to-ward such a general movement by neutrals was at least being sounded out. Stocks Sell Off Sharply After Strong Opening New York, Dec. 14. The stock market sold off sharply soon after the strong opening to-day. the deadline being sequential to receipt of the news that Washington had received the full text of the German peace note. War shares fell 2 to 7 points and other issues of a more stable charac ter also became heavy. Much of the selling issued from professional quar ters and was more effective because of lack of support. Peace Offer Dominates News in English Papers London. Dec. 14. German's peace offer again dominates the morning newspapers, which print many col umns of press views and interviews in allied and neutral countries. Special prominence is given to American dls- . patches which are also mentioned ap- I preciatlvely in editorials. The terms in which reference is made to the Teutonic offer show that the views previously expressed have, possibly, hardened in the last 24 hours. The Times claims that Germany's proposals are condemned as a mere political maneuver everywhere outside the dominions of the central powers 1 and their allies and says that the opinion of the Unionist. Liberal. Radical and Labor parties in Britain is absolutely agreed that the German note and the Chancellor's comment af ford no possible basis of peace. The Daily News reiterates its plea for a consideration of tne German propositi. It says: "There is doubtless a certain risk involved in entertain-' ing proposals for negotiations at the present time, but is there no risk in volved in a blunt refusal to even con sider the possibility of negotiations? Can the allies view with entire indif ference the quenching of the last spark of doubt among the Germans that their cause is one of just defense against outrageous aegression, and the establishment in unchallenged pre dominance in Germany of the brutal jingoism which made the war?" The Methodist Times, a largely cir culated weekly, joins in the plea for consideration of the offer of the cen tral powers. It insists, however, on the necessity of the entente nations vindicating their pledged word to free Belgium and Serbia as otherwise the only result would be a more gigantic upheaval. "Nevertheless." 1 says this paper, "the allies must treat the German offer seriouslv. Thev. must formulate their own terms and plainly show the world that the end can only come when Germany agrees. to a peace absolutely guaranteeing the unfettered existence of little na-1 tions." \ French Register Vote of Confidence After Peace Offer Is Denounced Paris, Dee. 12.—The Chamber of. Deputies, ater a lengthy debate to night registered its confidence in the : government by a vote of 314 to 165. The previous vote of confidence, that of last Thursday, was 34 4 to 160, That a number o the deputities were dis satisfied with the new ministry and ! the present policy of the government in the conduct of the war was evi- ! denced by speeches made. The opening paragraph of Premier; ©j Furs Altered We make fur pieces to order, al. ter your old ones, repair them and have an assortment of new ones to choose from. GOODMAN'S 440 Market Street Bell 920-It THURSDAY EVENING, 1 Brland's speech were received coldly ;by the chamber, which, however, warmed to the speaker as he proceed . ed. Thero was marked applause ; when the premier recrred to Chan j cellor von Bethmann-llollweg's peace ' proposal as a trap and warned the 1 country not to be deceived. The an j nouncement that the government pro , posed to restrict the liquor traffic was ! also received with much approval. Premier Brland accompanied his . denunciation of the German peace of . fer as a trap with an announcement i that he would ask for the increased power with which to carry on the war. At the same lime the premier promised that the government would not undertake any scheme of national mobilization such as that involved in the German home army plan. Hope to Intensify War Premier Brland expressed that cer tainty that some of the measures taken by Germany have behind them j the object of intensifying the war next Spring when, he said, she will have ; stronger armies to face. He warned France to be prepared for this effort and to have confidence in the final outcome. Then he turned to a discus sion of the German peace proposals. "It Is after having proclaimed its victory," he said, "while at the same time making new efforts to grain it | that Germany sends us certain words which I am not unable to explain, j You have read the address delivered i by Von Liethmann-Hollweg. the chan j cellor of the German empire. I have ; not the text and therefore I cannot j five an official opinion, but it Is im i probable that in the present circum stances those who are asked to inter vene will accept a task which might j well disturb confidence here. I will make known officially the precise con certed opinion of the allies, but 1 must now warn my country against a possible poisoning of opinion. When ; a country armed to the teeth mobilizes its entire civil population at the risk lof ruining Its commerce and dlsor | sanlzlng the homes of which it Is so : proud, when its factories are working overtime to increase its War materials and when it takes, in disregard of the ' law or nations, the people of an in vaded country and obliges them to work for It. if at that moment I do not cry out to my country: 'Look out; take care'; I would be entirely culpa : ble. "What comes from yonder as a proposition to negotiate peace is made at a time when Belgium is invaded. Serbia is invaded, ten departmentj ol France are invaded." Deputy Andre Lefevre here interrupted saying: "And crimes unpunished." Premier Brland resumed: Denounces Gross Trap "It is a redoubtable moment and I cannot call your attention too much to the facts. What do we see in this address? It Is the same cry to de ceive neutrals or the clairvoyance of the German people—it was not we who desired this horrible war. It was imposed on us. I want to answer for the hundred time. 'No you were the aggressors and whatever you say the facts are there to prove it. The blood Is on your heads and not on ours.' "Xcw. coming to the bottom of things, I have the right to ednounce this maneuver, this jn-oss trap. We want, it is said, by our enemies, to give our people all the means to pros per that they can desire. Others ure offered as almost a consent not to an nihilate them. After the Marne. after Verdun. France, France resting firmly is offered this! Such a document must be thoroughly mediated upon to see toward what objects it tends." There was loud applause at these words and Deputy Thierry-Cazes shouted; "The country thinks as you do." Premier Brland then concluded: "From this rostrum I must say that there Is a maneuver to separate the al lies, disturb the conscience and demor alize the people of the French repub lic. In circumstances such as these one will not do less than the con vention." Germans at Front Greet Reading of Peace Note With Great Shouts of Joy German Great Headquarters on the Front, Dec. 13, via Berlin, to London, Dec. 14. The German peace note was read at noon on Tuesday to all the reserves and to the troops resting behind the front. Its contents were made known to the soldiers at the front or on the way to or from the trenches through announcements on improvised bulletin boards. The effect of the announcements was to call forth spontaneous shouts of joy, tempered later by doubt as to whether the entente would agree to make peace now. It is generally agreed, however, that the note comes exactly at the right time and that in case it is rejected the fighting will continue with renewed vigor. The Inhabitants of the occupied territory displayed as lively an inter est in the announcement as did the soldiers and many praised emperor unreservedly for his peace initiative. Germany Is Anxiously Awaiting Neutral Opinion Copenhagen, Dec. 14, via London. A dispatch to the Politiken from Eer lin says: "What the entire citv and the country are discussing now Is not the proclamation by the emperor or the speech of Chancellor Von Beth mann-Hollweg. but the nature of the reply from abroad. The an?:ietv be fore the delivery of the chancellor's speech was great, but now lt Is many times greater. "Despite the press opinions from enemy countries, of a discouraging nature, telegraphed to Germany, it is hoped they do not express the opinions of the respective govern ments." JAPS DISCREDIT OFFER Toklo, Dec. 14. Officials of the Japanese Foreign Office said to-day that they do not take the German peace proposals seriously. They ex pressed belief hat the entente allies would have to fight to the end. Japan, it was stated, has not vet been officially notified of the making of the proposals. DITCH DISCFSS OFFER London, Dec. 13.—The German peace proposals came in for brief dis cussion to-day in the Dutch second chamber, says a Reuter dispatch from The Hague. The war minister reply ing In the name of the government to some observations by the Socialist ' leader. Pieter Troelstra, said: "The government has with interest taken cognizance to what took place yes terday In the German Reichstag and the government is following with spe cial attention what has happened and what will result therefrom." N'EW At'STRIAX MIMSTERY London, Dec. 14.—The Emperor has accepted the resignation of the Austrian ministry, according to a Vienna dispatch received by Reuter's byway of Amsterdam, and has en trusted Alexander Spltzmueller with the formation of e new cabinet. Herr Spltzmueller, who has been Asked to form the new Austrian min istry, Is a former minister of com merce and a former director of the Kredlt Anstalt. The ministry of Dr. von Koerber. which has resigned, succeeded that of Count Karl Stuergkh, who was as assinated in Vienna October 21. | "The Live Store" "Always Reliable" I Open Every Open Every I Night Until 1 1 Night Until I Christmas Christmas I " Santa's" Trip to Doutrichs I I Let me tell you what I found there—such a I wealth of merchandise that it dazzled the human eye. I went right through the- store into the Basement —then to the top floor —then I was awakened for I never dreamed of any one store house having so many of my kind of presents. 1 X ou ,f ee .y e f r . I resolved that These are some of the things I 1 1 would give nothing but the most useful ffifts , j j a <??.• * .1 ei _ i f , 5 . saw Thousands and Thousands of Shirts —and 1 wanted to be sure before 1 com- .. , n . , . P menced buying that I could make most of 77 , " Madras Percales and every other I my purchases at one store and I thought of kind of a shirt that would please men even the Boys and the Men who would be so happy white bosom shirts for the conservative man and pleased if I would fill my sleigh at and full dress shirts with PK bosoms every "DOUTRICHS." one in a free gift box. At the "Real Christmas 1 | Bath Robes and Slippers to Match I I Great Quantities of 1 thought at first I had made I don't believe there could be Warm a mistake when I got to the many cold hands or cold feet arm , n this town for 1 found enough Underwear Sweaters Stockings and 1 lt . . . _ t tiloves Union Suits and Two-Piece It looked like a factory there for every man and boy in Garments were so many. Harrisburg. ! Suits and Overcoats I I'd hate to tell you the number of suits and overcoats— at "DOUTRICHS." It would sound like a dream. I wish you could see them! I selected a great many for they were only fifteen, eighteen & twenty dollars. I think the best things I saw were those new kind of If you want to feel as warm as i r . lt 'hat fn in r toast wish yourself one of those I Silk Mufflers and Scarfs Mackinaws or a Beach 1 most men are wearing, they had plain gray white Coat Of V 6St black and some with fancy stripes. they're fine for outdoors. I hope you will visit this wonderful store and see the great quantities of Ties, Handkerchiefs, Flannel Shirts, Leather Goods, Um brellas, Etc., that "DOUTRICHS" have. HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH DECEMBER 14, 1916. 13
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers