Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1917 — IS GERMANY SINCERE IN PEACE MOVE [ARTICLE]

IS GERMANY SINCERE IN PEACE MOVE

To Be Presented By Hollweg Or Is It Move On Kaiser’s Part to Down Internal Strife?

Is Germany really sincere in -her terms for peace, which are to he presented by HbWweg on Thursday, or is it simply another piece of strategy by the war lords of that nation to quell the internal strife and to get -the support of all German people? This is the question that is now perplexing the Allies. Germany has proposed peace before, -but her terms of peace were regarded- in the light of a joke by her opponents. Her demands were almost unbelievable considering her position. Germany is lost, she cannot win. No longer should the Kaiser attempt to make his people believe that he can win, says the German press. Throughout Germany the _ strike among the munition workers is said to be spreading, and even now, Essen, home of the Kropps, -is said to be threatened with a strike. Discontentment among the tired German laborers has spread rapidly of late and this, coupled with the sensational drive of the Allies and the enormous loss of men by the German empire, has had a most depressing effect among the men of affairs in- Teuton circles. -Continued internal strife among Germany’s people can mean but one thing for her—decisive defeat in a shtort -time. -German socialists have demanded that Germany come into the open and present her terms of peace to -the Reichstag. Every moment of delay on the Kaiiser’s part further imperils the chance of Germany and no one knows this better than Kaiser Wilhelm himself. Probably when the peace terms are offered on Thursday they will -be as ridiculous as the previous ones which means that they will not be entertained for a moment by the Allies. Possibly the fact that terms of peace are offered by Germany will suffice to gain the sympathy of all the classes of Germany flor the Kaiser and -his staff, Which is believed to be the prime motive on their part. The Kaiser must play his cards carefully in the present crisis. Mayhaps a halfhearted peace proposal on his part will quell the internal disturbance and serve to raise the discontented to the -highest possible pitch of fighting frenzy again. If this motive is attained -by the rulers of the nation, Germany can yet linger a while, but failure to satisfy the strikers that a determined effort has been made to end the war means that Germany is doomed. One thing is certain, and that is that if peace is made it will have to be made -on the terms of the All Lies and not Germany’s. England will never quit until it is certain that the Pruawan militarism has been stamped out. The last soldier of France will die on the -battlefiefld before acknowledging defeat. President Wilson is in the war to stay until the righteous cause of the Allies is won. Russia may quit but the possibility is thought to<be remote. The world will eagery await the -peace proposals of Germany. If they are within the bounds of reason all well and good; if not, then Germany must die.