WAS THERE AN OFFER TO BELGIUM?

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2953, 16 December 1916, Page 9

WAS THERE AN OFFER TO BELGIUM?

'A REPORT DENIED. (Rec. December 15, 9.10 p.m.) *• London, December 14. The Belgian Legation denies that any recent Austro-Gcrmnn offer of peace wan handed, to Belgium.—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn.-Reuter. LORD NORTHCLIFFE'S VIEW (Rec. December 15, 10 p.m.) New York, December 14. . Lord Northcliffe, in an interview accorded to'the United Press, said that the peace move was due to the food shortage in Germany, strained'relations between Germany, Austria, and Turkey, and the fact that Germany knows that Britain will have three times the number of guns and shells as Germany in 1917. The peace proposals have l , been received in England with contempt. Ho felt gratified .that America had seen through 'tho bluff. The Allies would stand as firm as a rook. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN PEOPLEEAGER FOR PEACE ANXIOUSLY WAITING ALLIES' answer; (Rec. December 15, 5.50 p.m.) Amsterdam, December 14. There were frenzied scenes in Berlin when {lie purport of Herr von Beth-mann-Holhveg's speech became known. Men rushed wildly from the cafes and women' crowded the churches, where Protestant pastors and Roman, Catholic priests offered extempore prayersi Thesa peace scenes showed how heavily the nightmare of the war weighs upon tho German people. The popular excitement was reflected in the Berlin aud Frankfurt Bourses, where shares rose with astonishing rapidity, and collapsed with, equal suddenness on receipt of ijnfavourable forecasts of the Allies' answer. Popular excitement continues at tev6r pitah. Crowds stand all night in the snow outside tho newspaper offices hoping for news from the Entente capitals.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Berne, December 14. ■ German telegrams show that the masses firmly believe that the Government's peace offer will bring peace within 'measurable distance.—Aus.-N.Z.' Cable. Assn. GROVELLINGS ANDTHREATS IN GERMAN PRESS (Rec. December 15, 5.50 p.m.) Amsterdam, December 14. ■ The German newspapers are surprised: at the Allies' coolness towards the peaco offer. They blame England, towards whom they are adopting a menacing tone.—Router: The. "Tageblatt" urges the publio to disregard the disappointing Entente Press comments on the peace offer, and adds: "Not until tl\e New Year shall we know how this thrilling appeal has struck into the hearts cf the Entente people." The "Frankfurter Zeitung" humbly states: "Germany does not claim peace as a victor, but makes proposals, expecting counter-pronosals having the basis of a compromise, and pleads for a conference at which actual discussion will remove misunderstandings."— "The Times." The "Rheinische Westplialien Gazette"' savs: "We believe that the enemy will certainly refuse our peace offer, and will even attribute it to weakness. Wp are confident that that answer will get an echo from Germany surh as tho enewiy never dreamed of." The "Lokal Anzeiq:er" savs: ''In case the enemy rejects the hand we have hold out, we and our Allies will unanimously anorove of a merciless, prosecution of the war with every weapon at our disnosal. The responsibility will rest with those Governments and Parliaments which refuse• to endthe war till they are annihilated."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 'TSAR" FERDINAND TO HIS ARMY AS CONQUERORS WE PROPOSE PEACE! (Rcc. December 15, 5.50 p.m.") , Amsterdam, December 14. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, in a message to the Bulgarian Army, says: "All our enemies have been conquered.' We and the Central Sovereigns, in-, spired by our victories, have proposed peace. We* shall soon see if our highly humanitarian action is justly appreciated by our enemies. Meanwhile we will win new victories with the help cf God,"—''The Times." AUSTRALIA ANDTfIFPEACE QUESTION' (Rcc. December'ls, 11.20 p.m.) Melbourne, December 15. In the Federal House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, Mr. W. M. Hushes, in reply to questions, stated tluit lie luul received no' communication from the Inroerial Government %e----garding Germany's peaco proposals. He added, amid.a dramatic expression of approval'from, members, that until the international criminal Germany was no longer able to outrage the world, there would lie no peace. Mr. Hughes, evading the question whether ho intended to ask that Australia would be consulted before peace •'terms were "agreed unon, said that the terms had been considered by the British Government, and its opinion had been expressed tliereon. He would be glad to lay them before the House, and enable members to express their views.