Show US S. S PEACE PARLEY r f t r r t a I I Move Seen as German Plan to Tie Tie Wilsons Wilson's s 's Hands WE W CANNOT CONSIDER MEETiNG SINKS SHIPS IS VIEW Germany May Want to o Put Her Case Before the World and Put Responsibility for Submarine Campaign Again Upon England's Starvation tion fion Blockade lockade Is Another Opinion Now Advanced By Robert J. J Bender I United Press Staff Correspondent I WASHINGTON F Feb b. b J 1 10 Germany O Germany is feeling out the United States as to avoidance of war r. r Neutrals have offered to this government t to do whatever thoY they may in an effort to prevent war V These two facts fads stood forth fort l boldly tonight t one w week k aff after th the breaking of diplomatic relations between n the Unit United d States id Germany That Germany will soon m make kc or has already made a secret proposal designed to forestall hostilities was the report front fro l' l Teutonic Swiss circles Gov Government officials admitted they had ha-d exp expected eted such 3 V-J V maneuver mane i ver Y 1 but at the t same time i admitted c that they t. t y r j kindly to the reported German move fh They fly y I said Germany was merely trying to becloud ud the th swell ve F th the pa pacifist r ranks and block th the hand of President t Wilson 1 sho should ld Germanys Germany's rUthl ruthless ss submarine war var demand action n. r i We c consider Si any f q i i iwas i ships was the expressed P lt r t ReceIves CommunIcatIon 1 I J JJ S From Swiss Minister c t That the neutrals had offered their services to toward ard peace peace- ras officially reveal revealed cd at the state department late this evening President Wilson Vilson is known to have received sonic some communication tion lion from the Swiss minister during the week but its contents tc were c concealed The state stale department said officially it knew nothing of any ny German proposals suggested they might have been made to President President I dent Wilson Vilson and indicated they had expected some move move propagandist or sincere The Swiss minister acting for Germany at first would not confirm or deny the reported German Getman proposal but after visiting the state department I late te this afternoon flatly denied the sto story y i. i The Swiss ministers minister's visit y follO followed d hurried departmental conferences con cn- after which every high official of the department issued l. l denials of any knowledge of the German overtures more mor than t to say they had expected some such move would be started J Plans Regarded as I Clever Propaganda IOn f I tOn t- t On the whole the state stale department regarded the plan as cJe clever ct German propaganda which would be backed by bv all pacifists in thi country and tend to tie Wilsons Wilson's hands The Swiss Swiss' minister in his conference just before 6 o'clock tl tills this is evening did however leave a communication from Germany asking that the Prussian treaty of 1799 I be I Ger Germany any wants wants this reaffirmed so that that citizens of Germ Germany ny may remain here her nine months unmolested in case of war while Americans may have the same privileges in German Germany One df if the vital paragraphs of the treaty bearing on on this subject is i. i If war var should arise between the two contracting g parties thc merchants of either country then residing in the other oilier shall b be allowed al allowed al- al lowed to remain nine months to collect their debts and settle their aff affairs irs and may depart freely carrying all their effects with th then them J without molestation or hindrance If this is p to stand some officials said Germany would have the advantage as her citizens in America far fat m more r numerous than Americans in Germany could do business wih internment for nine months s to the ultimate greater advantage g of Germany ti Regarding the reported new Germ German n p proposal some le officials l said frankly that Germany may want to put her case before the he world lay the responsibility for her submarine camp campaign gri again g in upon England's starvation blockade and try iry to force the United States to act against England This officials say is IS all beside the point at present The official cial attitude was that Germany must show she will conduct a war war according to the strictest letter of Jf international ati nal law They recalled however that earlier in lIt the Ie week the Lor London J ti wireless reported that Germany was neg negotiating over possible possible- modification of her U-boat U wa warfare It was as noted too that Germanys Germany's destruction of tonnage has dwindled rapidly the past few fc days days down down to about tons in the Lloyd report at the state slate department tod today joday y or r a drop of f 1 more lh hw Oooo tons Ions from froni reports of a i few days ago The steady decline officials sa say may indicate Germany is is ordering or dering c extreme care j may only mean Germany is replenishing her heri hery y 11 I i i 1 J |