Show NO o INFORMAL PLAN FOR PEACE CAN BE CONSIDERED Von Bernstorff's Bernstorff s Suggestion Suggestion Suggestion tion tion Frowned Upon at Washington MUST BE OFFICIAL United S States ates Offered to Mediate at Outbreak of War Offer Rejected WASHINGTON April The 24 The The administration ad ad- ministration Is la unable to take lake official notice of ot the unofficial overtures lookIng lookin look- look in tug Ing to toward ard peace made marie b by Count von f German ambassador to the united States a Unless von vou Bernstorff makes his propositions In some lome more formal and or official lal fal fashion they will be ign ignored red Tb There re are arc several reasons for this the chief chic chicones ones once however being that President nt Wilson has been n assured In definite definite- and unmistakable terms by the British Russian and French ambassadors ambassadors am am- that the terms of or the unofficial proposals for I peace ace put out h by von on B are arc entirely unsatisfactory unsatisfactory tot tory and that the present Is no time to enter on vague v and indefinite len lers Despite De official denials it Is learned that von on Bernstorff him himself I Is responsible responsible rr pon sible Ible for fer the reports circulated In WashIngton Wash Wash- u h- h Ir ington on In regard Cd to Berlins Berlin's willingness to con consider peace proposals With Within the understanding that he should not be quoted these the proposals tt were ere ere published They were substantially as follows 1 l 1 That Berlin BuHn would not sue for peace 3 7 I that the tho subject might be dl discussed cusser on the tho basis of n return 10 to tho the status quo at the tho time 01 was declared 3 that Germany is 18 unwilling to consider con Jl paying an nn Indemnity for the thc damage to I Belgium um 4 that Belgium be Le evacuated o acu I by b the German armies 6 C Ii that Russia Russin shall have havo a t tW W way out through the Dardanelles and that proper arrangement ar- ar should be made marlo by hy Germany with Turkey to accomplish this result 6 In that Alsace and amI Lorraine must remain re remain remain re re- main German territory 7 j that German Germany Ger Ger- man many mamy shall purchase IO the Belgian Congo 0 for or a reasonable sum S that In case o of future wars war ars neutral commerce on th the tho high seas as shall not be Interfered with Uh and that other matt matters rN should be left to future adjustment nt Would Be Waste of Time The Information which coma comon to the thew V w hill louse House Is I Ito to the effect that any allY I effort to 10 open up peace negotiations on I Ithe the b basis buls is of ot t these Informal overtures o s I would ouM b be a waste of or time and would merely merel complicate the diplomatic situa tion ies In the first place the British Ru Russian inn and French authorities s assure the president that no no negotiations can cango cano RO go o for forward want except with the consent of or all the allies and there are arc man many condition con on mentioned In these Informal RU suggestions sug sug- l which would stand sham In the ht he- be beginning ginning as permanent barriers to any I possible understanding England would Insist for example on an Indemnity for Belgium and the p permanent assurance tIce as ar to the neutrality of or that country countr but the tho out one thing thin which is hi controlling In th th thought of or the allies s IB is the determination determination nation to make maim Impossible a recurrence at least in the near future of or any such nuch outbreak ns as that on the part of or Ger Ger- German Germany man many which started th the present mael mael- strom Until tho allies have used the utmost o of the force orco which they ther have havo b been preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring to accomplish this tills this en end 1 they the arc not willing to delay lela their military preparations preparations prep prep- tion Rt or complicate the diplomatic situation l h by y considering von van B overtures Good Offices Rejected Dt Discussing the latter hitter In a private and amI informal wa way waIt It is understood that the tho French and 11 do not regard these von Bernstorff proposals 1 as seriously made It is suggested by h- them that th the Germans have put them out for tor their effect on public opinion In to the United States The They are Intended It ItIs ItIs Is If charged as an nn offset to the thc prevailing prevailing prevail pre ing belief lIer that Germany ha has l been not noton on only I re responsible for be beginning the I trouble but hut from the tho start has s j been un- un to consider c P peace proposals II by bythe bythe errO the United d States Slates When President r lc r Wilson attempted to mediate at the beginning beginning- o of the trouble the German authorities were wera as determined and amI n as outspoken as the thA allies aUles In rejecting the good offices of or the United States Slates Our secretary of or state was wa that the Germans had no doubt as to tho the successful successful suc suc- outcome of or their venture and that only when hen their arms were crowned d with success would the they consider terms of or peace At a recent dinner a dinner a private nt social occasion occasion Count cx lon lon-C lunt von Bernstorff was i quoted as stating slating that while the time for tor peace negotiations has now arrived It was aa because Germany German has hns bet been n vic vic- What hat the Germans started to do he a assured lured his friends had now been accomplished t He lie repeated the position of or his government that Germany had been en attacked and hurl hart struck to repel Invasion In the tho fact tact that German soil oil has not been en Invaded the war has been a success It Is only the more optimistic who see seo se seIn In this von on B Incident any hope for the beginning of serious rlou negotiations to a l permanent neace |