PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1916, Page 5

PEACE TALK.

FORECAST OF ALLIES' REPLY. |EPARATION TO BELGIUM. ■ (PROPOSALS FRAUDULENT. Deceived Dp?. 2D. 12.50 a.m. New Yoric. Deo. 13. The (Providence Journal states that tiie Allies." reply to Germany will point out that the Allies will rot consent lo any parley until Germanv lias voluntarily withdrawn from Belgium. rcpai.l Oil the fines levied, reimbursed Belgium for the destruction of her cities, and returned every deported Belgian. The reply will also declare the Allies' conviction that the German proposal? are fraudulent, beinjj intended to create sentiment in favor of Gevininv

GERMANY'S ATTITUDE. I'LAUSIBLE, BUT INDEFINITE Received Dec. 20, I 30 a.m. Berlin." Dec. in. A wireless message says that the Note contains most definite communications for guaranteeing a lasting peace, but is based on the firm conviction of Germany's own rights and just claims, iriaking it clear that the Central Powers do not want to annihilate or destroy anybody. SOCIALISTS' VIEWS. Pan*. Dee IS. Tho Socialist Federation of Heine J>4ssed a resolution which stated that it \v«s the duty of the Governments of the 'Allies, while vigorously pursuing the vrar, to accept negotiations in order to learn the Germans' conditions nf peace. If they were unacceptable they should denounce them publicly, indicating coun-ter-proposals as to the objects of the "war. The resolution was adopted by 10,000 l»otcs to 400. A motion was passed contemplating the resumption of international Socialist relations between the belligerents anl neutral countries, especially as to negotiations for peace, conditionally on the Central Powers definite proposals. A CRAFTY GERMAN MOVE. New York, Dec. IS. Zimmerraaim and Forshav, the official bankers of the German Government, are offering bills of exchange at bargain pt'ies payable in Ber/in or Vienna in n'rety days, accompanied by the statement that peace is practically certain within ninety days. The movement is . obviously intended to give American lnvcbtore a personal interest in an ea 'ly f ?eoe. Washington. Dec 18. From sources close to Count Bernstorlt it i 8 learned that Germany is will- . in;: to allow the people of Alsace-Lor-raine to decide by vote the question of , joining France or remaining under German rule. STRONG FEELING IN ITALY.

Rome, Dec 18. lie newspapers arc unanimous in rejecting the German proposals. Rome, Dec IS. Pignor Murati, leader of thi- Socialists in tlic Chamber, declared that the peace note' was, a confession of weakness. Probably American bankers had inspired it by "the threat of the seizure of Gernian vessels in American ports if submarining continued. The critical conditions in Germany demanded the cessation of war. Reports of the peace proposals caused tremendous indignation among soldiers in the trenches and the officers 'fcad difficulty in restraining them fram makicg an immediate attack.