Show BASIS OF PEACE Spain Cannot Expect t Retain Philippines ippines and Porto Rico Washington May 27A rumor which was revived today with some degree of plausibility related to certain attempts on the part of representatives of Euro pean powers to secure peace through direct di-rect representations to the United States government As was the case with like rumors this was absolutely denied by the state department The story is believed by the officials to relate late to the execution of a policy of inquiry in-quiry with a view to sounding public sentiment in this country a to the terms of peace that probably would b acceptable The conditions mentioned In these stories the retention by Spain of the Philippines and Porto Rico I in return for the release of Cuba represent repre-sent the very minimum offer that might be expected from the Spanish side but a most peace treaties are in the nature of compromise bargains it cannot be supposed of course that that is the maximum price Spain expects to pay for her indulgence in a losing war |