The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, January 08, 1917, Image 3
*
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