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Ttm SUMTER WATCHMAN, Sstab Consolidated Aug. a, ] GOrlDENSED Wie BULLETIN. ALMED FORCES. UNDER KING ALBERT CON^TINUE TO DRIVE THE INVADERS FROM BEL GIAN SOIL AT RAPED PACE. Big Allied Gains in East, Notwith standing' Furious Efforts of Huns, American and French Continue Their Advance in Champaign. Unconfirmed rumors are in the air that Germany has capitulated and that Emperor William has abdicated. The rumors emanated from Dutch and Swiss. sources but as yet the German government has not officially inform ed either the Washington or London i governments of its indention to ac cept in their entirety the conditions f?r a cessation of hostilities as laid down by President Wilson. Meanwhile . hostilities are proceed ing without cessation and as in days past the forces of the Allies every where are defeating the enemy. In Belgian Flanders the British, Belgium and French troops under King Albert are sweeping forward for further ma terial gains in the process of driving the ? invaders from Belgian soil. Or the front in France the British, French and Americans are hard after the Germans and are making pro gress, although slowly notwithstand ing the strenuous defense which is be ing, offered. Both in Serbia and Albania the En tente troops are ridding the invaded ^districts of the Austro-Hungarian and German contingents, in Albania being well to the north of Durazzo on the Adriatic sea and in Serbia a consider able distance beyond Nish with the enemy falling back toward the fron tier of Austro-Hungary. vjln the Palestine theatre the* Brit ish cavalry has driven far to the north and northwest of Damascus having reached Tripoli, near the Mediterranean coast, Zorty-five mile? north of Beirut, and Horns, eighty five miles north of Damascus. By thif maneuver there seemingly is created for the Ottoman forces the means of again being caught between Gen. Al lenby's armies and crushed as wa? the case in the early days of the of fensive in the region north ot Jerusa lem. The maneuver also may forcast a new drive by the British from the Bagdad region to form a junction With Gen. Allenby at Aleppo and thus take the Holy Land in its entirety trVMtt .the Turks. U The great wedge of the Allies in Flanders is being gradually extended eastward all along the front of at ibrhcut, at' the head of the rail Way leading to Bruges and numerous villages to the south have been taken while Conrtrai, the junction point of the railway to Ghent, is almost en >*"*KreJy surrounded. Large numbers of prisoners and many additional guns have been captured, by the .Belgian French and British troops who are carrying out the operation. To the soirth of this region the ; British continue successfully their maneuver which has as its main ob jective the capture of Douai and Lille, and the blotting out of the big salient which is barring the way tc Valenciennes and the German de fense line in that vicinity. Here the Germans are continuing to with draw, closely followed by the British who are within two and half miles and three and three-quarter miles of Lalle, respectively, southward and west of the city. In the Champagne region where the French and Americans are driv ing their way northward further good gains have been made notwith - Standing the > furious efforts of the Germans to hold their line. - ?SQurnrs view on note. Leaves No Hole to Escape, Says Form er Premier. London, Oct. 18.?Former Premier Asquith in a speech today referred to President Wilson's latest note in re ply to the peace proposal of Germany fiaying: "The reply which President Wilson has given to Germany is exactly what was required. It is terse, dignified ami outspoken and goes to the root of the matter. It leaves no hope to escape." . . "We cannot imperil the ascendency we have gained on land and sea or give breathing time to an enemy who eould not be trusted to observe either the rules of honor or humanity." Mr. Asquith said the main objec tive of the allies was to destroy Prus sian militarism. "There is no one in the civilized world who does not feel that the doom of war is sealed," he added. Mr. Asquith declared the over tures of the enemy came from peo ple who knew in their heart of hearts that they would have to give up the game. The ceply must come from the German people themselves, lie said there was no one better qualified than President Wilson to be the spokesman for the common cause. MARRIED THEN DIED. Missouri Congressman Squares One Account Before Succumbing to Flu. St. Louis, Oct. 18.?Congressman Jacob Meeker died here this morn Irg from Spanish influenza, after his marriage, at midnight to his private secretary. HUNS RESIST STRONGLY. Americans Having Hard Fight North west of Verdun. With Americans Northwest of Verdun, Oct. 16, 12.10?The Germans today continued to resist the Ameri cans on this front, the strength of the opposition fully ^equalling yester days. fcfeed Apr?, 18S0. fi VEILED iH DOUBT. (NEWS FROM GERMANY INDEFI NITE AND CONTRADICTORY. - ' Kaiser May Have Abdicated Bat No; Official Report Avaliable?Stories. From London, Paris and Holland; Say President Wilson's Terms Havei Been Accepted. Washington. Oct. 16.?Tonight's j news of Germany is everywhere re-j garded here as the shadow of great] events being cast before them. There is in Washington no official j word that the kaiser has abdicated; j or that he has been overthrown; or! that Germany is ready to accept all j of President Wilson's terms. OfTi-i cials and diplomatists, cautious and j conservative by nature and practice' regard with incredulity the intima tions that one or all of these things happened. Of course, they all hope,! they have; they 2.11 know that one or all of them are inevitable, > The official opinion in the capital tonight is that coming of these! things is timed only by the unknown j [degree to which the German military j power has been broken. There may j be more information on that point in the chancellories of England, France and Italy than there i3 in Washington, j When President Wilson's reply tcj the German peace proffer went forth j Monday night it was predicted here that if it did not bring a complete and unconditional surrender of the mili tary autocracy the German people themselves would force one. Presl-: dent Wilson's words were a plain in vitation to the German people to take such a step and intimated that there! would be no peace with kaiserism. j The coming hours will show howj the leaven has worked. The intima- j tions in today's dispatches from Lon- j don, Paris and Holland suggest the! progress of the ferment, i Most signi ficant of all is regarded the report (from Holland by way of London that [Germany will immediately reply to President Wilson accepting all his terms and asking only guarantees for the interests of Germany and the Ger man people. When the reply does, come President Wilson's only course will be to forward it to the cobellig erents. The guarantees for the inter ests of Germany and the German people do not intervene as an obstacle if guarantees are thought of in sin cere terms. If they are put forth as another vehicle for a quibble, an op-j portunity for diplomatic evasion and| trickery, or a negotiated peace they j will meet only one reply. If they mean guarantees for the integrity and sovereignty of the Ger many which is rightfully German al ways taking in the determinations of the human beings concerned, no ob stacle is foreseen. If they mean that j guarantees for the rights of the Ger- j man people to live their lives under. a peaceful responsible government! which does not menace the life of thej world, President Wilson's utterance j on the subject, officials think, already j have given the answer. If Germany j accepts all his terms and attaches the! condition of such guarantees it is con sidered that hardly less could be ex pected of her. Guarantees for the interest of Ger many involving only Germans, it was pointed out, are quite apart from the self-determination of the oppressed nationalities in Austria for which President Wilson has pledged the I peace to secure opportunity for an [autonomous development. j j There always is the possibility that j the conditions President Wilson has I ;.nd down as the basis for a peace al-j ready have come about in Germany, j Diplomats noticed that Chancellor I Maximilian sent a note and that whenj the president answered with an in- [ quiry it was Foreign Secretary Solf| and not the chancellor who replied,! and that Solf spoke of the new gov-j ernment which has been formed in) Germany. It would not be without! precedent if the peace party in Gcr many actually wras in possession o; an imperial rej&ript of other secret nets renouncingp^ie power of the kaiser and his party, when the reply to President Wilson's inquiry was sent. It would not be without prece- j dent if the negotiation was begun with a maneuver for the best possible terms and holding back the last card] ?the downfall of kaiserism. j If the prerequisites for an armistice { ! are accepted, the arrangements wili j be made, not by a mixed commission j but by Marshal Foch and the cobel- i } ligerent comanders. These, as has j ? been pointed out will be the mean*; I of taking from Germany every agency i with which she could break he**; i word if she would; the occupation by[ j allied forces of such places as Strass- j Iburg. Metz and Coblenz; turning overj j to the allies of her fleet and subma-j jrine bases; with the recall of herj i submarines which dispatches hinted { i today she was ready to do, and the I ? surrender of munitions of war. ?n- i i doubtedly also the agencies by which j j others might be produced and prob- j ably by the employment of the great I war machine plans of Germany to re- j ! pair the industrial damage done in j Belgium and France. Seeing is be j lieving, one official declared tonight, j and there will be no scraps of paper. : In a military" sense Germany would j ; be treated as an individual prisoner j of war?disarmed, and guarded. Al- j i lied forces placed in strategic po- J ; sitions could by invasion of Germany : j if necessary enforce any terms. The i I allied war council in which President: ! Wilson holds one vote it has longi I been known has agreed on these con- i i ditions as guarantees for supremacy' of the allied armies, i It can be stated with official au- j ; rhority that should Germany agree to such an armistice the downfall of i kaiserism can be easily arranged at j the peace conference without danger of accepting a "negotiated peace." Allied forces could be in position to id Fear not?De* ?H the end* Thon Ah UMTER, S. 0., SAT?RJ iijjj ne on. SUCCESSFUL ADVANCE MADE IN REGION NORTH OF AR GONNE FOREST. J - ' ! Germans Being Driven Steadily Back: on Both Sides of the Mouse River! Despite Their Utmost Efforts. With Americans Northwest of Ver-j dun, 10 o'clock Wednesday night,; Oct. 16.?In a successful advance,; north of the Argonne forest today; the American first army reached i Champaigneulle, a mile north of St. I Juvin. Further east, toward the; Meuse river, they gained possession of I Cote-de-Chatillon. East of the Meuse I the Americans moved forward in the I Bois-de-le Grande Mcntagne, the sum- i mit of which they now hold. LONDON WITHOUT NEWS. NEWSPAPERS FILLED WITH COMMENT ON GERMAN SIT UATION. Some Papers Take it for Granted That Kaiser Has Abdicated?He Has Been Sending Valuables to Holland for Sometime. London, Oct. 17.?Rumors in rela tion to the situation in Germany form the main features of the morring pa pers. Some are convinced that Ger many's unconditional surrender is coming and some papers take for granted 'csat Emperor William ha: abdicated The Express says foi sometime he has been sending his valuables to Holland. ONLY RUMORS TODAY. No Definite News Coming Out of Ger many at Present. Washington, Oct. 17.?Great events are impending in Germany, according to unofficial reports from Holland and Switzerland. That Germany imme diately will accept President Wilson's terms is without confirmation here. Nor is there any information thai Germany's reply has been drawn Swiss dispatches say the German roichstag will meet tomorrow. MORE NURSES NEEDED. Tlie Influenza EpJdcmic Has Not Been Checked and There Are Many Families in Need df Attention.' The ladies of the Civic League com mittee have been too busy looking af ter the sick to make a formal report today. The '? following ?additlona names have been added to the list jo volunteer nurses: Mrs. Walter Cheyne Misses Lily Gregg, Julia Obenschain Mrs. Frank Raffield. Miss Lucia Roach, Dr. Israelson. Many more are needed, both men and women, and those who are willing to help arc asked to report to Mrs. A. D. Harby, chairman. Phone 947 or Miss Armida Moses. Phone 103. CALIFORNIA. PIONEERS. A Remnant of the 49ers Meet and Drink to "The Days of Gold." San Francisco, Oct. 16.?Eleven men who came-^to California in '49 across the continent by prairie trail or by sailing vessel round the Horn met here recently and drank a toast to "the iays of gold." They repre sented the 41 remaining members of the Society of California Pioneers which at one lime comprised 3.000 lovers of adventure. For years the pioneers have held a reunion in this city, but year by year the attendance has dwindled. Among those. who made the last pilgrimage from various parts of the country were three members of the vigilance committee which, in 185C. quelled a reign of terrorism and law lessness in San Francisco by a number of hangings. Can Use Gasoline on . Sunday Again Washington, Oct. 17.?Secretary Garfield today lifted the ban on gaso lineless Sundays, to be effective at once. enforce the decisions of the peace council. The two chief questions in the minds of public men tonight are, is the German military powe really so broken as to be ready ? accept these terms? And the .recurring question, what has become of the kaiser? Throughout the American capital there is the calm air of confidence mixed with the evidence of determi nation. People are reading the new. bulletins at the windows and buying Liberty Bonds at the curbs. When President Wilson sent word to the country that there would be no relaxation of any kind" he mean, "no relaxation of any kind" he meant mine the Fourth Liberty Loan; some: of his friends believe he might have been thinking of making it a "vic tory loan" for it is a fact that if Ger many laid down her arms tomorrow the loan would have to go over, for much of the money already has been ??r.eni a'.id the millions of troops in Europe must be provided for until they can be returned home. The president was. reading the la test dispatches tonight> making no comment, and other ofiiciaisyyere do ing the same. The official ^ur was surcharged with expectancy, but ii was the expectancy which wouldSnot be surprised if Germany rallied *yO go on for a while longer, and madV another attempt to save something from the wreckage. There were no official indications of whether the German reply had beer, started for Washington, if indeed, it has been decided upon. n?t at be troy Co entry'ft. Tfay God's fti DAY, OCTOBEE 19, 19? 1U BEGINS HEW DRIVE. ATTACK ON BOHAIN LE CATEAL FRONT MADE THIS MORN ING. Germans Made Counter Attack Near Valenciens and Drove British Back at one Point. London, Oct. 17.?Gen. Haig's forces this morning began an attack on the Bohain-Le Cateau front, along | the Seile River, southwest of Cam brai. Satisfactory progress is report- j j ed in the official statement. Germans had been counter attack-< j ir.g north of {here and in a strong Jo I cal thrust at Hausey, in the region i south of Vaienciens, pressed the Brit j ish back in the western edge of that I village. V ! fiERll Ml ROUTED. TON ARNIM IN RETREAT FROM NORTH SEA TO LILLE. In Argonne and Champagne Regions Prussians are Fighting to The Death to Keep Open Avenue of Escape. I Pari3, Oct. 17.?The whole Ger man army under Gen. von Arnim is in retreat from the North Sea to the region of Lille, beaten back and over thrown by allied attacks today. The retirement is assuming the propor tions of a rout and enemy resistance is crumbling all along the front ex cept in the regions of Argonne and northern Champagne. There, the Americans, under Gen erals Liggett, Cameron and Bullard and the French under Gourard are en gaged in desperate fighting. The Prussians are dying, but not surrendering, in the effort to saye :hcir right wing. NO REST FOR HUNS. French Keeping Retreating German? m Loan Sector Under Constant Fire. Paris, Oct.. 17.?On the entire front of Oise-Serre, where the Germans arc being driven from the pocket north of Laon the French last night main tained contact with the enemy, it is officially announced. ROUMANIAN'S ATTACK GERMANS. Conquered People Turn Against Their Oppressors. ."Paris, Oct. 17.?Outbreaks against the Germans have occurred in north ern Rumania in the province p Moldavia, says a Zurich dispatch. The population hfts. suddenly assum ed an openly hostile attitude to the German authorities, the advices stat ed. \l BRITISH TAKE COUTRAI. That City and More Than Twenty Villages Captured Wednesday. London, Oct. 17.?The British forces entered Courtrai in yesterday's fight ing, according to the statement of the war office today. More than twenty villages were captured by the allies in Belgium during the day. BRITISH CAPTURE LILLE. Germans Driven Out of Largest City They Have Held. London, Oct. 17.?Lille has been captured by the British. SERBIANS CONTINUE VICTORIOUS Town of Alexantz With Cannon and Munitions Taken. London, Oct. 17.?The Serbians have captured the town of Alexantz on the Moravia River, fifteen miles northwest of Nish. taking 32 gun and munition*, the Serbian official statement says. TERRIFIC FIGHTING BY AMER ICANS. I Grand Pre Taken at Point of The Bayonet, Without Artillery Prepara tion. With Americans, Northwest of Ver dun. Oct., 17, 10 A. M.?The capture of Grande Pre by the Americans was accomplished under terrific hard ships with a heroism not hinted a! in the brief official statement. Ameri cans took the town by outwitting the Germans in attacking without artil lery preparations, which the German: had expected, and by wading th' River Aire at four points instead of building bridges. LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE. Reports Today Indicate a Total of Three Billion, Six Hundred Thou sand. j Washington. Oct. 17.?Reports or Liberty Loan subscriptions indicated I that today's receipts would probably [ bring the total up to three billions 'six hundred millions, it was announc j ed. MORE PRESSURE NEEDED. j Secretary Lansing Calls on People to j Supply the Force by Buying Liber j ty Bonds. Washington. Oct. 17.?"Germany I is bending, more pressure ; d she j will break." said Secretary Lan j sing in a statement today, warning i the nation that the Fourth Liberty j Loan must be successful and tha' the war is not over. Hurricane Playing Out. J Washington. Oct. 17.?The tropica' ^disturbance in the Gulf appeared to b>v diminishing' in intensity, th' weanbj?r bureau announced. Official1 ?said Ififtt it was probably near the east TeWs coast this morning. I* XtBtttL* THE TRUE 3. THE || OF GERMANY. TROOPS URGED TO HOLD AMER- ] ICANS. Von der Marwitz Tells Men That IJ Fate of Nation May Depend on Ef forts. I With Americans Northwest of Ver dun, Oct. 15 (By the Associated Press).?How great is the importance attached by the Germans to holding back the Americans is shown in a : recent order of General von der Marwitz, commander in chief of the Fifth army, which has reached Amer ican intelligence officers. "It is on the unconquerable resist ance of the Verdun front," read the order, "that depends the fate of a great part of the Western front, per haps even our nation. The fatherland must rest assured that every com mander and every man realize the greatness of his mission and that he will do his duty to the very end. "If they do this the enemy's attack will, as heretofore, break against our firm will to hold." With the American army already across the Kreimhilde Stellung, it might be expected that the Germans will fall back rapidly to their third line of defense from Stenay to Sedan, but because of the vital necessity o! preventing the allies from cutting the lines of communication before the greater part of the German forces are able to extricate them selves it is assumed that they will in crease rather than decrease their re sistance. 0 It is not believed, however, that the Germans will be able to offer the same sort -of resistance, but on the j other hand will adopt a more open form of warfare such as they did j north of the River Marne. Added evidence has been obtained that in stead of reducing his opposition the German commander is continuing to bring up fresh divisions to throw -hem after these already broken , by the Americans. ? General, von der Marwitz explained to his command in his order that the Americans/Were about to attack the Verdun, front "to try to push to ward Longueyon." "The object of this attack," the order continued, "is to cut the Lon gue-on-Sedan line, the most import ant artery of the west.- Moreover it is the enemy's intention to render it impossible for us to exploit the Briey basin on which depends a large part of steel production.". SERBIANS GAINING GROUND. Now Advancing. ? Northward From Nish. Washington, Oct. 15.?Advancing northward from Nish, Serbian troops on a wide front have captured the heights dominating both banks of the Southern Morava, ? taking 44 field guns, a Serbian official statement re ceived here today said. In the cap ture of Nish a large amount of war material was: seized. . . . Serbian detachments operating ic the Kriev? Pal?nka region report the statement that contrary to the stipulations of the armistice, the Fourth Bulgarian Division carried off into Bulgaria approximately 2,700 sheep, : 4,000 horses, 1,300 t>xen, 1,020 mules and 1,500 wagons. The statement says a Bulgarian captain ordered the\ storehouse Ot grain at Stratzin to be burned and the cattle belonging to *the popula tion taken to Bulgaria. v>s ! The Serbian cavalry in an ^advance in the direction of Kurshumma and Prokouplie have taken nunmrous prisoners from three new Gewkan divisions and four 15 centir^Pbr howitzers and two field ' guns. v 12,966,594 REGISTERED. Total for September 12 Exceeds Esti mate by 187,836. Washington,' Oct. 15.?Final re turns from all States show that 12. 966,594 men registered for military service September 12. This was 187, S36 in excess of,"the estimate of 12, 788,758 made by the office of Provost Marshal General Crowder, based on census figures. The total announced today does not include registrations received by mail by local boards after September 12 nor belated enrollments by men whe were absent from the country that j day. Including uuch cases it is be lieved the actual figure will approx imate 13,000,000. This will be still further increased by the registrations in Alaska, Porto Rico, and Hawaii which are to be held on later dates recently fixed by the president. With the figures compiled today, the total number of men who have been registered since the United States entered the war is 23,456,021. CZECHS RISE IN REVOLT. I Final Phase of Revolution Against Germany Begins. London. Tuesday, Oct. 15.?A gen eral political strike has been called in Moravia and Bohemia and great demonstrations in favor of an inde pendent State have taken place in Prague, according to Zurich dis patches. Deputies are said to have de clared in the final phase that the Czech revolution had begun. SIX BILLIONS MORE. Deficiency BUI Introduced for Enlarg ed War Programme. Washington. Oct. 16.?The military deficiency bill carrying more than six billion three hundred and forty five million dollars for enlarged war program has been reported to the house. It includes one hundred and seven million dollars for the navy and seventy million for family allot ments of- soldiers and sailors. Vol. XLVn. No. 19. PLAY NEXT. ?EOPDE OF GERMANY EXPECTED TO .TAKE HAND SOON. Reports Reaching- Washington Through Official Sources by Way of Neutral Countries Says Field Mar shal and Not Chancellor Caused German Acceptance. Washington, Oct. 15.?Internal po litical conditions in Germany and pos sibly in Austria-Hungary as well, as Lhe military situation on the western front, are expected to determine the nature and time of the German reply to President Wilson's communica tion of yesterday definitely closing the door to peace negotiations with German autocracy. The president's note probably ^already lias reached Berlin through the Swiss foreign of fice. Reports reaching Washington to day through official sources by the .vay of neutral countries not only . In dicated the existence of almost chaotic conditions in the central powers, hut also said that it was Field Marshal von Hindenburg himself who was re sponsible for the German govern ment accepting the president's peace terms and seeking an immediate ar mistice. * It was said that at a recent meet^ ing of the military leaders and the b 'nds of the parties in the relchstag von Hindenburg boldly declared that Germany must have peace at once at the best terms she could get. He said the armies no longer had the neces sary munitions and materials ^.con tinue the struggle, nor was there.'any source of supply. In the light of this situation, the field marshal said he felt the time had come to try first for an armistice and then for peace and he urged that this could be only in the light of a concession to the demands of the So cialists and pacifists in Germany. Prince Maximilian, the chancellor, is reported to have strongly opposed such a course, dreading a reaction against the junker element by the.So cialists, but imperial approval was given von Hindenburg*s plans and the request for peace followed. No indication has been given as to when replies will be made by Presi dent Wilson to Austrian and Turkish appeals for peace. It is understood that there is no ground for the ap prehension which has arisen in Ata^\ tfia that the president would refsse to reply to Premier Burian's apptal because of the autocratic character of the Austrian, government. It was said that this might . well figure. _ In a final peace proposal but Wohldes co - operate to prevent the consideration of an armistice which Austria seelcs. The same is true of the Turkish peal, and while not officially stated, it is believed that the prime reason for delay in reply to both these ap plications is to afford time for the president's response to Germany's peace proffer to filter to the masses in Austria and Turkey through , th* rigorous censorship that exists. In the meantime, attention now centers in the military situation and renewed efforts to furnish the ar mies closing in on the central poi^ra all the men and material to' achieve a military victory in th^~field. BREAKING ST EASY. German Press Is Beginning to Admit Defeat, But Advises "Keep Head Erect." , New York, Oct. 15.?Systematic .efforts of the German press to explain to the German people that the re treat of the German armies on the western front in July and August was part of a strategic plan to save as ijaany German soldiers' lives as pos 9Be while inflicting as heavy losses as^KOssible on the Allied troops, ap par^ltly did not have the desired ef fect^The Cologne Gazette has found it necSjsary to admonish the Ger man peltf>le in display type to keep their heaefcs erect and not to indulge in pessimale contemplations. "In view of th^^nninterruptedly close connection wirkte homeland" says the Cologne pa? "such feelings may influence the?morale of our troops. Our high a^^r command re cently admitted fraffl^tthat south ->f the Somme on August^^^e suffered defeat. One would thS^^tnat at home would be found a^|M^Lan<* thankful appreciation of thiB wf?^ statement. Unfortunately in jB |^ stances that was not the case. ^SB tM I again wore circulated which emaSl^P ed from the most pessimistic sources and pictured our general* condition in j dark color." 18 AND 37 TO 46 NEXT. Questionnaires Will Soon be Sent to These, Washington, Oct. 15.?Classification j by local boards of men of the new \ draft registration has been so rapid that Questionnaires soon will be sent to youths of eighteen and men be tween thirty-seven and forty-six years of age. Reports today showed that 655 local boards out of 4.543 in the Unit ed states, had classified registrants'% between nineteen and thirty-seven. Influenza epidemic conditions are ?M such that in the opinion of the regis ! tiation staff is to continue the in- ^ j definite suspensions of the October j draft calls, but it is intimated that I the next call will be of unusually large proportions. Reply Reached Berlin Tuesday. j Basel. (Tuesday). Oct. 15.?Presi | dent Wilson's reply to the German j pence proposal reached Berlin at noon j today. It had not been given to the j German public up to eight tonight, i however. . i ? . ; ? - ?? i *-'-fcni i