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Show ERZBERGER'S PEACE TALK REPUDIATED CLERICAL PARTY LEADERS' . VIEWS EVIDENTLY NOT THOSE OF IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT. Declared That if He Could Talk With Lloyd-George or Balfour They Could Reach Understanding Which Would End War. Berlin. Tin- German official world Is apparently not inclined to share the optimism which Malhias Krzberger. clerical party leader, exhibited in the recent Interview he gave in Zurich and which burst in upon Berlin on Monday. Mon-day. When a press representative Inquired In-quired whether Hcrr Eiv.berger's presence pres-ence In Switzerland and his announced ambition to sit at a table opposite Premier Pre-mier Lloyd George for the purpose of arranging a peace conference reflected reflect-ed the sentiments or the authority of the German government, the foreign office replied that Herr Er.berger was traveling and talking in a private capacity. ca-pacity. Herr Erzbergcr is reported to have declared to the Zuricher Nachrichten that If he "could talk with Lloyd George (the British premier) or Mr. Balfour (British foreign secretary) we could In a few hours reach an understanding under-standing which would enable official peace negotiations to commence." "After this Interview, Herr Erzher ger cannot longer be taken seriously," says the Cologne Gazette. "However, for the sake of the public Interest we would urgently request him to discontinue discon-tinue playing the role of providence to the German people." In its review of the third year of the world war the Tageblatt points out that the armies of Germany aud her ullies have conquered more than half a million square kilometers of entente territory and asserts that the military strength of the central powers instead of decreasing has Increased, while that of France has visibly diminished. The newspaper says the German people has plainly announced its reacllness for peace and expresses the hope that common com-mon sense and a sincere desire for the cessation of hostilities will assert themselves in the ranks of Germany's adversaries. |