University of South Carolina Libraries
* bonf a X I REJECT met OfFEI jk' ALLIED REPLY TO GERMAN J POWERS CHECKS HOPE , SAYS IT ISA WAR MOVE »Ooiiscious of the Obligations of the Hour the Allies Declare That Peace .Now Woujd be a German Peace, and Say They Most Have Satisfac tion, Reparation and Guarantees. In reply to the proffer by Ger many and her allies for* a peace con ference, the Entente Allies, In a col lective note, declare that they “re fuse to consider a proposal which is •mpty and Insincere.” The note was handed to the American ambassador, William Graves Sharp, Saturday by Premier Briand, and was made pub lic simultaneously ,in London and Paris. The Entente Allied governments insist that nq peace is possible; as long as they have not secured re paration for violated righU and Bp. •riles and the free existence o states and have not brought 1 , settlement of the future seett*." of the world. ^ ^^.,/rhe note declares that the pro- „ posal of the Central powers is not an offer of peace, tut a “war manoeuv- — re.” It is declared to be founded on .^‘calculated misinterpretation of the tharacter of the struggle in the past, the present and the future.’ The note does not specifically out- . line the definite war aims of any of the Entente governments, except Bel- V, gium. Before the \sar, it is pointed ‘jj out, Belgium asked for nothing but -/to live in harmony with her neigh bors. Assailed in, spite of the trea- ! Aies gunranteeitig her *tviblut)Htty, Belgium, the note says, has taken up arms to defend her independence and her neutrality violated by Germany. Belgium’s aim, which is declared to be the only aim of her king and government, is described as “the re establishment of peace and justice. But they only desire peace which ’ would assure to their country legiti mate reparation, guarantees and safeguards for the future.”. The note, which is the joint act Of Belgium, France, -Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Portugal, Roumania, Russia and Serbia, de- •lares that the present strife was de sired, provoked and declared by Ger many and Austria-Hungary, and that Germany made no effort to bring about a pacific solution of the trou ble between Serbia and Austria-Hun- '’gary, as did Great Britain, France and Russia. A peace concluded upon the Ger man idea would be only to the ad vantage of the Central powers, says the note, while disasters caused by the war demand penalties, repara tion and guarantees. The Gernuui overtures ar^ de- seribcNl as a calculated attempt to force the future course of the war and to end it by imposing n German , peace. The overtuies also are said to have boon designed to have the effect of inti-mid.iting neutral pulibc opinion as well as of stiffening opin- iofi in the Central powers “worn out Tiy economic pressure and crushed by the snpreme et'foH which has been imposed upon their inhabitants.” “Finally,” it is asserted, “these overtures attempt to justify in ad vance in the eyes of the world, a new •enes of crime>—submarines war fare, deportations, forced labor and forced enlistment of the Inhabitants against their own countries'and vio- — lations /of neutrality.” The text of the note follows: “The Allied governments^of Bel gium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Portugal, Ron mania, Russia and Serbia united for — the defense of the liberty of their peoples and faithful to engagements 1 taken not to lay down their arms eparately hive resolved to reply col lectively to J the pretended proposi- ons of p'^'e which were addressed o them onr behalf of the eneiny gov- eYiaiuinis/tlirough the/ intermediary of the Fnited States, Spain, Switzer land Tliul" 4 ! lolland. Before making any reply flta Allied powers desire particularly to.protest against the two essential asser-tions of flit' note of the enemy powers that p-retend to throw upon the Allres responsibility for the war and proclaim the victory of the Central powers. “The Allied government's cannot admit an affirmation doubly inexact and which suffices to render sterile all tentative negotiations. The Allied nations have susroined for. thirty months’a vyar they did everything- to avoid. They have shown by their acts their attachment to peace.' That attachment is as strong to-day as it was in IhH. But it is not upon the word of bcrniany, after the violation of its engagements, that tho peace broken by her may he based. > “A mere suggestion, ‘without statement of iCniis. that negotiatio should he o/ened, is not an offej^o peace. Th/ putting fo imperial’ government of tygrnsm pro posal lackingTTtKjjubsGiirce and pre cision would appear to be less 4 an ofler of peace than a war manoeuvre. It is founded on calculated misinter pretation of the character of tho struggle in the past; the present and the future. “As for the past, the German note takes no account of the facts, dates and figures which establish that the war was desired, provoked and de clared by Germany and Austria-Hun gary. “At The Hague conference it was a German delegate who refused all proposals for disarmament. In July, 1014,’ it was Austria-Hungary who, after having addressed to Serbra an unprecedented ultimatum, declared war upon her In spite of the satis faction .which had at^once been ac corded. < . “The central empires then reject ed all attempts made by the Entente to bring about a pacific solution of a purely local conflict. Great Britain suggested a conference; France pro posed an international commission; the emperoi* of Russia asked the Ger- sio 0*1 man emperor to go to arbitration and Russia and Austria-nungary came to an understanding on the eve of the conflict. But to all these ef forts Germany gave neither answer nor effect. “Belgium was invaded by an em pire which had guaranteed her neu trality and which had the assurance to proclaim that treaties were ‘scraps of paper* and that 'necessity knows no law.' , . . - “At the present ipoment the sbam offers on the part of Gfermany rest on the,‘war map’ of Europe alone, which represents nothing more tha'n a superficial and passing phase ot the situation^and not the real strength of the belligerents. A peace concluded upon these terms would* be* only to the advantage of the* t*; aggressors, 3 who, after imagining that they would reach their goal in two months, die* covered after two * years that they could never attain ij. J //y'. “As for the future; the disasters. caused by the German dcKlaration of War arid the innumerable outrages committed by Germany and her allies against both belligerents and neu trals, demand penalties, reparation and guarantees. - Germany avoids mention of any of these. “In reality these overtures made by the Central powers are nothing more than a calculated attempt to influence the future course of war and to end it by Imposing a German peace. The object of the overtures is to create dissension In public opin* ien in the Allied countries. Hut thaJ public opinion has, in spite of all tho sacrifices endured by the Allies, al ready given its answers with admir able firmness and has denounced the empty pretense of the declaration of the enemy powers. , “They have the further object of stiffening public opinion ft} Germany and in the ~i r o ini tries one and all severely trieYT by their losses, worn out by economic pres sure and crushed by-the supreme ef fort which has been imposed upon their inhabitants. “They endeavor to deceive and in timidate the public opinion in neu tral countries wTlbd» inhabitants have long since made up their minds where the initial responsibilities lie and are far to© enlightened to favor the design’s of Germany by abandon ing the defense of human freedom. “Finally, these overtures attempt to justify in advance in the eyes of the world a new series of crimes— submarine warfare, deportations, foroed labor and forced enlj^Cment /jjjg the inhabi^ntsr against their ' ow r n countries and violations of neutral ity. ’ , - ( “Fully conscious of the-, gravity of this moment, but equally conscious of its requirements, the Allied gov ernments, closely united to one an other and in perfect sympathy^with their peoples, refuse to Consider a proposal which is empty and insin cere. “Once again the Allies declare that no peace is possible so lofag as Dobmdja the Una along th« Rlmnik tUver began to give way. r There Is no special significance in this. The line to which the Russians are obli gated Is that of the Sereth, River: . -- This is still many miles In the rear RUSSIAN RETREAT CONTINUES of the present Russian line and there . - v ■ (Is no obst&cle'between. The .Russians TO NEW DEFENSE. LINE are fal ' ln « ,n Jfa * t ’v«f _‘77. •. t I generally holding their own, in opite . - , ’ of the fact that they have bf»n forced to give up the Rlmnik line. The new line to wtfich the Rus sians will fall back will bear- sow analysis at this tlme^ but before tak ing It up ther^ is a point in connec tion with the peace j/ropo^aL that is worth considering. It is a |,cCdiiar coincidence, at least, that In every caae.wh$n the Gerthans appeared to be at the height df their stride and near the end of tjie particular move ment of the .moment peace proposals filled the air. r \ The t first was in the case of t Russian retreat; No sooner had the first decided German--chock at tile Dwina River put in its appearance than there .were Tumors of peace? The world did not know that the Russian retreat was ended. Talk of Petrograd and Moscow and Kiev fill ed the foreign papers. American critics werp planning equally far ahead, nevertheless, the Rus sian retreat had ended and Germany was in reality worse off/than before. These peace rumors, it was sus pected, had their origin at Wilhelm- strasse, although they’ were never directly traced thete. When the neu tral world did not taffe them up and the Allies showed no particular In terest in them a new offensive was begun; this time against Serbia. In a very few weeks Serbia had been overrun andjjpnljir the Saloniki forces remained. ’ Again peace rumors were FORCE FOES ON SEilETB New York' Times Expert Sfcys Czar’s Forces and Roumanians Will Prob ably Resist Teutons ^long Strong er Positions—Hard Task for Mack- ensen. . * This week there-has been contin„u^ ous fighting only in Roumania- In their retreat frbm Northern Walla-. Chla the Russians, who have’ tak m over almost all of the Roumanian front, retired behind • the *■ Rimn’k River, a small stream which is abdut twenty-five milee north of the Bufceu and parallel to it.. The Germap at tack in the meantime had shifted from west of tke Danube to east of . - ... - that river. .This move was necessary a precaution against the flaaklng of the liire~on,tire^west bank. As long as the Russians in Dob- rudja held a line'but a few miles north of Hirsova, the western army did not dare advance. Their .right HKEECE SUPPORTS WILSON , .e. OoButaattBe Telle How Hie Country Hue Buffered by War. / .tr .JKing Constantine summoned Gar rett Dreppers, the American minis ter, to the palace Saturday morning and communicated to him the text of. the. Greek reply to President Wil son’s peace note. In the reply the king asserts himself with the presi dent in. willingness to do all in his power to promote peace. T'ne note recites fhe sufferings of Greece at the hands of the belliger ents on both sides while the nation has been . endeavoring to m&int&Th neutrality.*,. It adds that Greece has WAIT FOR ANSWI / flank, resting on the Danube, wag iindef the constant fire of the Rus-lheard, and this rind imy ftthrance ~eir-and -more ctmtm which .they mikht stake wop Id biily tention was paid to fTi n except by 6 they Bull 6 at pr °ff rfeaR wherein thn fTnitnri n hv* °* Amer ica always so largely shares.” the neutral; press, and died. In this case, also, the they ley^e; soon ame at aggravate the situation. Mbre dan gerous still was the possibility of *the . Russians, succeeding in driving still; a time when the German was m^ull further south. If they did this, the' sVride in his^ march to jrlctory,/ entire line west of the river would have to fall back for fcipr the Rus sians might be able to cross in their rear. —.— ■■ - - A heavy Russian concentration might succeed ih breaking the Gdr- Now we have a repetition, this time official. Germany lias given out the proposals. As in tho other oases, they have' come at a time wiien Germany is concluding another victory.* Jn the first two caaep the man Dobrudja defenses and thereby rumors were a/loat just before the undo all that the jvestern army had .close of the campaign, when, indeed, accomplished. Again, there was the'Thurend wag in sight. Does the fact consideration that Russia and Rou-j IbsR The present proposals have come mania, if they ever could invade Bui- ftO^dLime mean that the Germans garla, would do so through tho //ob til cm.sc lyes halted in their ad- rudja, as;it was only in the southern vance? Or is it, perhaps, that, hav- they have not secured reparation for violated rights and liberties, ttrel recognition of the principle of na tionalities and of the tree existence of small states; so long asHhey have not brought about a settlement cal culated to eml once and for all forces which, have constituted a perpetual menace to the nations and to afford the only effective guarantee for the future security of the world. , “In conclusion the Allied powers, think it necessary to put forward the. following considerations which show the special situation of Belgium after tw*» and a half years of war. Ih vir tue of the .international treaties sign ed by five great European powers, of whom Germany was one,,, Belgium enjciyed before ,the war a special status, rendering her territory invio lable and placing her, under the guarantee of ther powers, outside all European conflict^. She was* how ever, In spite of these treaties, the first to suffer the aggression ef Ger many. For this reason the Belgian government thinks it necessary to de fine the aimh .Which Belgium has' never ceased to pursue while fight ing side by side with the Entente powers for right hrid justice. * “Belgium has always scrupulously fulfilled tho duties which her neu trality imposed upon her. 'She has taken up arms to defend her inde pendence and her neutrality violated by Germany and to show that she remains faifliWl to her international obligations. ; “On the fourth of August. 1014, part of this province that the Bul garian border was unprotected. This could b£ prevented for all -’time, probably, if Dobrudja could be clear ed and the Danube for Its entire length thrown between the Teutonic allies and the Russo-Roumanian at tack. ^ There was, therefore, every reason why Dobrudja should be* cleared out before matters in the west went fur- ing gathered all in reach, seeing that- there is nothing more to gain in the Balkans, an(TfeaHzing there is noth ing else that she can gain in France and Russia, Germany is willing,'even anxious, to cry quits? In either case, significance may be found in relation to the Roumanian question. The‘first part of this line to bear inspection is that section north of the ITanube between the e^rured greater hardships Trom the ar than any other neutral and de sires the consummation df peace. The text of the kind’s .message fol io w J» ''' ( ) y'"T——| •♦—j ‘ “L-wish to express Mr. President, feelings of sincere admiration and lively sympathy for he generous ini tiative you have jusi taken with the view to ascertaining Whether the* mo- mont Is not propitious for a nego tiable end of the bloody struggle rag ing on earth* "Goming from the wise statesman, who, in a period so critical for hu manity, Lb placed at the head ef the great American republic, this human itarian effort, dictated ^6y a spirit df high political sagacity and looking to an honorable peace for all,. cannot but contribute greatly towards has tening re-establishment of normal life and assuring throifcgh a liable state^of.^ international relations the evolution of humanity towards lhat __lor_ theiC The indications are that the 8 reat bend-and the Black Sea. Dob Germans drew-heavily on the forces I Thdja is almost entirely in German west of the Danube, and allowed the; bands, and it is practically certain Moldavian campaign to slacken, pending the Dobrudja result. This result has now been pretty fully ac complished. The Russians are not altogether out of tha-province. They still hold the northern angle and are making a hard and detei mined de that before long there will be' no Russians' nor Roumanians on the southern side of the river. Then follows a recital of the trials .Greece has suffered from the war, which oh ftecoimt of the censorship It is useless to attempt to cable. The king’s message ends as follows: ‘‘Such are the conditions in which your proposals find my country. This short and hecessarily Incomplete re*w cltal is pot made with the purpose of criticism of the cruel blows at her neutrality froth which Greece has been forced to suffer the effects*. I have merely wished to show you, Mr. President, how much the soul of Greece at this moment longs for peace^ and how much Greece appre- cites yotrr appeals which constitute' so important a step in the course of the bloody tragedy of which we are witnesses. x _. ' _ 7 '* (Signed) “Constantine.” The Greek government also will make a formal reply which will asso ciate Greece with the proposal ef President Wilson:' 7 * * . BRITISH MAKE GAINS _ _ i Turks Foel Englis'h Blow* in Mesopo- * *—— —— —r " rJ " lamia and Egypt. ^ In Mesopotamia the British forces still are in quest of Kut-el-Anpara, in Between the town of Tulcea and *WTSTifch sector they have made new ad- thd Black Sea It is practically cer- t&in that no effort will be made by the Germans to force a crossing of fense of the northern passages pf the; Gie river. This belt of country is river;' ■ . ^— divided and sub-divided by tho many - In fact, some of the bitterest fight-’streams into which the Danube ing of the Roumanian campaign has bn aks up alter leaving Tulcea. The occurred between the grca.t bend of bells of land between these streams, the Danube and the Black Sea. The or mouths of the river, are full of Russians are still fighting, with their lukes and between the lakes the backs almost against the river, bift country is little but marsh. ihe indications are they must soon i It is > free of railroads, indeed of retire to the northern bank. Be-{ roads of any kind that afford any hind *them there-, must bo airekdy sort of sure footing. Consequently, Constructed,' pontoon bridges to en- it is physically impossible to Unus able them to cross with such {Util- port urLiHeby across it, and, without lery as they still have on the south- artillery, infantry, cannot effect a ern side. Otherwise, they would not crossing. There is, therefore, a sec- risk the stand they are now making tion of the Danube front, nearly fifty To do so wollld be to run tho danger miles long, which needs practically of being pinned in between a vie- no defense at all* From Tulcea to torious army^bn* one side and the the great bend of the*. Danube' at river on the other, so that they would Galatx the situation on the coufhern either be driven into the river or l bank is somewhat better, although have to surrender. we still find the marsh belt lining One the western position along the the river. But on the northern bank Rlmnik, the Russians have been able it is equally bad. to hold their own*. But as the Dob-.J When we consider the feasibility rudja campaign is coming to a (jlose, 0 f an army Crossing a river against the German troops are apparently defense of an army on tVe other being shifted^from the east bank to gj^e we must Yealize that it is not a the west, and again taking part in question of landing troops in a sin the-.campaign against Moldavia? The column, so to speak, from one effect of this increased pressure was% 1(ie t() lhe other vliere is niUch telt particularly in. the last few days more than this involved. The troops the -week when the line of the Inus ^ 110 ^ only bo able to get across vances on the right bank of the Tig ris and consolidated and extended their positions south and east of the Town..' Gassabs fort, twenty miles southeast of Kut?*a base from which hostile -Arabs had been operating against the British, has been destroy- ed. . The British victory over the Turks at Maghtiaba, ninety miles east of the Suez Canal, was of considerable proportions. In addition In..makia-g- of in tho reiohstag the (lerraan chancel- Rlmnik was finally-crossed, and the ju large numbers, but, once across,,. lor admitted that this aggression con stituted an injustice contrary to the laws'of nations and*pledged himself in the name of Germany to repair it. During 7wd and a half years this in justice has been cruelly aggravated Ctnain army is not apparent. by tho proceedings of the occupying forces which have exhausted the re sources of the country, ruirreSfts in dustries, devastated its towns and villages and have been responsible for in numerable massacres, execu tions and imprisonment-8. “At this ve»y moment’“while Ger many is proclaiming .peace and hu manity to the world she is deporting .Belgian, citizens by thousands and reducing them to slavery. “Belgium before the war asked for nothing but to live in harmony with her neighbors. -Her king and her g ment have but one aim—the iG-establishment-o? peace and* jtis- ■ ^ Rut they nnlv ripalre pearo vhich would-assure to their country legitimate reparation^' guarantees and safeguards for the future.” FOG STOPPED FIGHT t Gee. Maurice Explains Ending of the Somme Rattle. :. ' town of Rimnlk Sarat taken. It is must be able to debouch along evident that tire Russians have beet) bunk and force their way foj- fighting only a delaying action in the Ward overa w j de fr#nt. / wrest. Whether it has been, done with a'strong rear guard or with the The Rimnik as a defensive posi tion offers bilt few adyatitagea. It Is a' small, shallow river, easily crossed and easily Tqrced. The banks are low except in tlreunountaina, go tjiat as a barrier therV is hut little to recommend*it. The object cf the fact, a chain c delay was two-fold. If the forces on quite* wide, cc the western bank-gave w r ay 1^'' those in I)obrudj^, r thc German situa tion which -I . have just d^sdribod w’ould have«beqn duplicated:/ j ' The-flank of-the Dobrudja forces A* single column would bo thrust back info the stream as fast as it crossed. It would be almost impos sible to effect su.ch g manoeuvre on the nort-heru bank of the Danube in this section. From Galatz to Ismail, w hich'is nearly opposite Tulcea', the northern bank.ot the Danube is ul- mosLofte continuous lake. It is, in of lakes, some of them mnected by narrow marshy land;— „ These lakes run all. the way from Truth, eastwanTT It -is the easiest ground one could imagine to Uefe.hd, even again the. superior^artillery of town of whatever‘stores it contains. The rail facilities for this are excel- Fog. and' shell holes were chiefly responsible for stopping the Anglo- tbe opportunity of French .Somme offensive and will probably prevent its resumption un til March. ; , * This statement w r made by Maj. Gen. Frederick B. Maurice, chief director of military operations at the war office. " * . > No real battle hns been offered on the Somme since October/said Maj. Gen. Maurice. He admitted that the Allied high command had underesti- wayld be thrown wide open to. the GerniKans, and therefore is no artillervon/t4re west bank ^|id tire dqpht that, the German artillery-is at entire-lin^renfijaded. The ret ro g r a de, thTi/l i m c? v s u p er i or in numbers and movement had\to take place in uni- range anything which has yet son to preserve tho continuity of the- .h^n nffpr^h on LLo Roumanian live. TAgain, there is the question of \f ron t. the town of Braila. This town haa>. rx u # * always been one ot the largest sraft.,, Af ‘ er lft “ vinR K he Danube -front, arid oil centres in Roumania. It is l f e probjem^is much more common belief - that It containe.l shuple, . thougH Mr if af.t ( to prove large stores of both thes.e commodi- ve 7 l dlfflcult > , b S lng 1 ' 7 only in comparison. The most dan- / .. _ ' v • gerous point, fro^n the Russian point As The Germans, advanced there v iefr, is at the mouth of the Ser- was an ex< silent chance of this city pijj Sereth* joins the Danube falling into their hands promptly. j ust t j ie Krea ^ bend, ch one side By delaying the advance, the Hus- 0 f th e mo^uth we find Braila, oh the isions.have afforded tlie Roumanians other Galatz. The Germans are al- emptying . this re ad y well up* ihto the Dobrudja, or concave side of the bend, and have brought Braila under the fire of their lent and there is no reason to, believe g U hs. But Braila cannot be defend that when the town is, taken it will prove more than ah empty shell. : If has only little strategic slgnifl ed anyhow*, as the troops' holding it would be caught in the river angle between the Danube and the Sereth, cance. It will afford a mofe ready , fioh> which it would be impossible crossingr of the Danube, so^that the to retreat. • . ^ ®WL S °f Cbwmunications between Galatz is, or soon will be, under the Oertpan. fot > ces_on tRe west and fl re a i RO> as will be tb^ extreme east banks will be Increased. This i 0 ^ er . 8tretQhes**of the Sereth. -/Rut mated both the effect of the »rtir i ery J* al ‘pLafned to U. It p ar t 0 f thfs fire will be an enfilade eth, from the Danube shelling which, left, the country! JJpatiOn to the defense of fljp e ffom the Dobrudja side. The “thickly sprinkled with ahdll holes Ga a ^ z> j 1 / 1008 ; serve as an jj ne 0 f sereth must be the line filled with water,” and the tog in the adva ® ce Q base In future operatirns. 0 f« defense of the Russians, as it is Somme valley. Shortly after the retirement fn the only large stream left offering prisoners of thirteen hundred and fifty men of the Turkish force of about two. thousand, seven guns, a large number of rifles, much ammu nition and large quantities of other war stores were captured. On the other fronts there have been only artillery engagements. Russians Hit in Carpathians. Southwest of ’ Valeputna, in the wooded Carpathians, the kussjans after repelling an attack by large German forces . at the point of the bayonet, captured a height. any material obstacle to the German advance. But when they take-up a position along this riverdn front of Galatz their Tine will be.enfiladed by the fire of the Germans on the other bank of the Dgnube. This fire, coupled with that of the forces now moving against Braila, may force the Russians back from the mouth of the river for a distance practically equal to the range,of the. guns, or at least equal to the differ ence, in range between the German and the Russian guns. This may en able the Germans on ihe west bank to ' r( ss .near the confluence of. the Danube and the Sereth, and so turn ,the Russian defensive position. ‘ In sucarcase it wrould be a qijesr Jlon just how* valuable*the remainder of the Russian line would be.. The general character of the terrain would, of course, favor the defense in any event, as tbe country rises constantly from the Ilanube as one mbves northward into Moldavia. The great advantage whigh ‘ the Russians would hold in jauch vease is, howbver, the railroad communi- cationar -The'relation between ' a given battle • front* . and ' the * lines which come up to it perpendicularly is well umlmstooTE—Equally well known Is lhe value of the lateral lines whRh run parallel to tho front. Of the letter, the Germans have none. The Brajia ^railroad, which runs westward to Buzeu and Ploesci, •Is many miles south of The Litre on which the Germans must attack. The Russians, on the other hand, have a railroad which parallels their line closely frdm the Trotus Valley, south all the way to the Danube. This railroad conpects with the main road frdm Czemowitz to*Buch arest, as well as with the road from Jasi, south. It would/ indeed, be difficult to conceive of a more per feet railroad situation for defensive f purposes. The entire line from the wooded Carpathians, southeast - to the sea^ is Ideally located Every advantagoiof cqmmunlca: tiona and natural obstacles is pres-^ ent. The only weak spot In tho en tlrcLchAin Is the link Flcmjj the Ser- for a prove ’he* dan*' that a HOPE OF PEACE DEPENDS UPON REPLY TO PRESIDENT , PROSPECTS NOT BRIGHT Weehington Gudesee That War Will Go on Another Year If AlUee Ra» t . . , V; spond to Wilson In Same Tone Heed to Germany—HernstoiTf Heee AVer Vnlese There la a Change. * „ Opinion as to the effect of the un favorable Ehtente reply to the peace propotpls of the Central powers va ries widely in Washington, but in all . quarters interest now centres l ,11 the Allies’ answer to President Wil son's note in which peace ad v oca tee evidently hope td* find an op&ning for ^ advancement of the negotiations. Official comment from officials of the administration is lacking entirely again. Secretary Lansing formally announced that the Entente reply had not been cabled for delivery to <* Germany and her allies, and that the state department had received tho official text of the Spanish note re fusing to join in a peace movement at this time. The secretary refused flatly to be questioned about the an nouncement or on any other phase of ' the sit nation.—— — ——? It is understood that the Entente note will go forward just as soon as the task of checking, tor -errors has been completer- Neither * President 1 Wilson nhr** Secretary Lansing has seen the official text, though they have read the press translation. Publication of the Spanish note * gave the American public its first in timation that copies 61 the presi dent's note to the belligerents pro posing a discussion of peace terms had been accompanied when deliver ed to neutrals with a suggestion that the action Of the United States ha supported. Whether such a suggestion went with the copies to all neutrals is not known as officials do not event ad mit that it was done in the case of Spain. The action of the Spanish government giving out its reply-far publicaton prior to its receipt caused surprise. ^ While some officials- think Ger many will not fail to respond to the Entente reply, lf> only answer the charges contained in it, others be lieve the reply leaves little if any room for more Teutonic advances. The German embassy frankly takes the latter view, and holds ttiat hope for restoration of peace at this time depends almost entirely upon how the Entente replies to President Wil son's suggestions. At the same time it is made clear that the embassy regards the general situation as not having materially changed by the Entente note because of the fact that the president’s. sug gestion,.. made subsequently to the dispatch of the original Teutonic pro posals, has not been adopted or de clined by the Entente powers. If the forthcoming communlca^ lions from the Allies hold out the slightest hope that a conference ot belligerents ultimately may result lie. is said that the terms of the Central powers made may be given confiden tially to President Wilson. If, how ever, the reply to the president fol lows the tenor of the reply to the Central powers’ note it is considered certain at the embassy that tbe wef will go on for at least another year. Spain’s suggestion in her reply to President Wilson that “it would be opportune to declare with regard to an Enteqte of the. neutral powers for the defense of their interests’* con tains* the first formal proposals to this country far joint neutral action. Many neutrals have made similar pleas privately, notably Spain «er- self through the embassy, In connec tion with the submarine situation. President "Wilson received New Yeas’r greetings from many of the rulers of the world, including King George of Great Britain, Emperor William of Germany, King Victor . Emmanuel of Italy, King Gustav of Sweden and several presidents ■ f South and Central American repub lics. The only one with a reference, to peace was from the King of Swe dent. IT follows:* / ~ • "I beg you to accept my beet wishes for the new year. I am htf£py to join your noble peace action.” , few miles. This-should no! difficult matter-to offset, per section is so narrow -'GREECE PLANS ACTION? ♦ — Ijondon Says Interned Regiment Haa Been Ordered to Front. Unofficial advices received, in Lon-* don from Saloniki say the Greeks who surrendered toHhe Bulgarians at Kavada and were interbed in Ger many have been ordered by King Constantine to proceed to the ’Muce- doaian front td fight aghinst the Hn-~- tente Allies. Simultaneously from Athens comes an unofficial dispatch announcing that Greece is address? Ing another note to the Entente de claring that unless there is a change in the Entente blockade, Greece may be forced to seek the advice of the nation concerning the course to be followed. > proper ^efense for It may be created, men of these cbmi GUARDSMEN QUARANTINED' Spinal Meningitis ih Several Georgia Companies. Four companies in. the Georgia In fantry brigade have been quarantiiK ed because of the discovery of spinal however, were stifled in the Musco- nreningitis among these troops, it was announced at military headquar ters at El Paso, Tuesday. / -* . the companies quarantined are' H arid O, of the First infantry; M. ot the Second infantry, and B, of tho Fifth infantry. , It that there were four. 7