GERMANY'S PEACE TERMS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 16037, 20 October 1917, Page 8

GERMANY'S PEACE TERMS.

WHAT THEY KEALLY ABE

One of the most interesting passages in tho narrative of Mr Gerard, ex-Am-bassador for the United States in Berlin, which is being published by tho London "Daily Telegraph," is tho following From the time when Chancellor Holl-

wcg first spoke of peace I had asked him and others what tho peace terms of Germany were. I could never got anyone to state any definite terms of peace. On several occasions when I asked the Chancellor whether Germany were willing -to withdraw from Belgium he always said, "Yes, but with guarantees." Finally, in January, 1917, when lio was again talking of peace, I said: — "What are these peace terms to which you refer continually? Will you allow mo to ask a few questions as to specific terms of peace? First, are the Gcr- j mans willing to withdraw from Belgium?"

The Chancellor answered, "Yes, but with guarantees."

I said, "What aro these guarantees?" He replied, "We must possibly have tho forts of Liege and Namur. We must have other forts and garrisons throughout Belgium. Wo must have possession of the railroad lines. We must have possession of the ports and other means of communication. The Belgians will not be allowed to maintain an army, but we must be allowed to retain a large army in Belgium. We must have commercial control of Belgium."

I said, 'T. don't see that you have left much for the Belgians, excepting that King Albert tvill have the right to reside at Brussels with a guard of honour."

And the Chancellor answered, "We cannot allow Belgium to bo an outpost (Vorwcrk) of England." "I do not suppose the English on the other hand wish it to become an otitpost of Germany," I returned; "especially as Tirpitz said the coast of Flanders should be retained in order to make war on England, and America." I then asked, "How about Northern i France?"

"We are willing to leave Northern France," the Chancellor .responded, 'but there must bo a rectification of the frontier."

''How about the Eastern frontier P" I asked him.

"We must have a very substantial rectification of our frontier." J 'How about Roumania?" 'We shall leave Bulgaria to deal with Jioumania."

"H ow about Serbia?" "A very small Serbia may be allowed to exist, but that question is for Austria. Austria must be left to do what she wishes to Italy, and we must have indemnities from all the countries and all our ships and colonies back." Of course "rectification of the frontier is a polite term for "annexation."