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Show Danger of Famine in Fatherland Reason for the Early Opening of Peace Negotiations. j Germany Looks for a Just Solution of Ques-j Ques-j tions, Followed by Rec-! Rec-! onciliation of Nations. WASHINGTON", Nov. 12. The -new note addressed to President Wilson by.Dr. Solf, the German foreign secretary, asking President Wilson to arrange immediately a "preliminary peace," had not reached I Washington tonight in official form. When ; It does come it will be considered in con-I con-I nection with the communication received ; today through the Swiss minister asking ! the president to intervene to mitigate the "fearful conditions" of the armistice. Dr. SoK's object in again addressing the prcwlderjt, it is assumed here. Is to j secure an Immediate peace conference fur the purpose of discussing some of the j terms of the armistice, which, in his firs: note, he said threaten starvation and ruin I in Germany. I BELIEVE SOLF I UNDULY ALARMED. Officials are satisfied that Dr. Solf is needlessly alarmed, as the terms of the armistice provide that "the allies and the I United States should give consideration to the provisioning of Germany during the armistice to the extent recognized as necessary." nec-essary." It is said that to that end such rolling stock and ships au may be necessary neces-sary will be put into use. Dr. Solt's request for the hastening of a "preliminary peace" may mean the German Ger-man government wishes to leave to a later time, and possibly to a second peace conference, con-ference, the permanent settlement of the great issues involved In President Wilson's Wil-son's fourteen terms and the principles he has enunciated since they were laid down. Such a suggestion, it is said, would be without precedent. It was pointed out today that there are physical difficulties in hastily convening a peace conference which will Include representatives rep-resentatives of all the nations which have formally declared war on Germany. A conference limited to envoys of the allied governments and the United States might be held at a reasonably early date, perhaps per-haps within a month. If It is limited In scope to a few urgent issues. FLUID STATUS OF HUN GOVERNMENT. One consideration in the mind of officials offi-cials relates to the status of the German government itself. The president already has referred to this as fluid and the course of the Russian revolutionists has emphasized, empha-sized, it was said, the need of caution in securing assurance of the stability of any government with which permanent peace treaties are negotiated. Tho American and allied governments actually have recognized the Social Democratic Demo-cratic government at Berlin, headed by Friedrich Kbert, as the de facto government govern-ment of Germany by conceding its author! au-thor! ty to authorize the armistice delegates dele-gates to sign that document. But developments devel-opments in Germany have caused apprehension appre-hension that Russian history may be re- peated there and the present government replaced by a soldiers' and workmen's council or committee, which could not he recognized by the allies or the United States because It would be essentially a class government. APPEAL OF SOLF MISCHIEF-MAKING, LONDON TIMES SAYS IONDON. Nov. 12. f British Wireless Service.) The Times describes tho appeal of Dr. Solf, the German foreign secretary, secre-tary, to President Wilson regarding the armistice conditions affecting the food supply of the German people as "a contemptible con-temptible attempt at mischief? making." The newspaper says Dr. Solf hut has to 'look at the armistice In order to see that j the allies and the United States contemplate contem-plate such provisioning of Germany during dur-ing the armistice as shall be found necessary. neces-sary. The Dally Chronicle says Germany, "which never showed mercy, now has to implore It." It adds that the allies no doubt will take such steps as humanity I dictates, so far as they can consistently do so and feed their own populations. "But that Is no trivial proviso," the j (Continued cn Page Two.) I 4 HONS ASK WILSON TO HURRY PARLEYS (Continued from Page One.) Daily Chronlcie concludes, "and the' food cargoes that Germany nas criminally sent to tile bottom of the sea cannot be fished up even to feed Germany." |