View source for Entente Reply to the Peace Note of Germany and Her Allies, December 30, 1916

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'''Entente Reply to the Peace Note of Germany and Her Allies, December 30, 1916<sup>1</sup>'''<br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Allied Governments of Russia, France, Great Britain, Japan, <br>
Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Montenegro, Portugal and Roumania, united <br>
for the defence of the freedom of nations and faithful to their un- <br>
dertakings not to lay down their arms except in common accord, have <br>
decided to return a joint answer to the illusory peace proposals which <br>
have been addressed to them by the Governments of the enemy <br>
Powers through the intermediary of the United States, Spain, Switzer- <br>
land, and the Netherlands. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a prelude to any reply, the Allied Powers feel bound to pro- <br>
test strongly against the two material assertions made in the note <br>
from the enemy Powers, the one professing to throw upon the Al- <br>
lies the responsibility of the war, and the other proclaiming the <br>
victory of the Central Powers. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Allies can not admit a claim which is thus untrue in each 
particular, and is sufficient alone to render sterile all attempt at <br>
negotiations. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Allied nations have for 30 months been engaged in [subissent <br>
— have had to endure] a war which they had done everything to avoid. <br>
They have shown by their actions their devotion to peace. This devo- <br>
tion is as strong to-day as it was in 1914; and after the violation by <br>
Germany of her solemn engagements, Germany's promise is no suffi- <br>
cient foundation on which to re-establish the peace which she broke. <br>
A mere suggestion, without statement of terms, that negotiations <br>
should be opened, is not an offer of peace. The putting forward <br>
by the Imperial Government of a sham [prétendue — pretended] pro- <br>
posal, lacking all substance and precision, would appear to be less <br>
an offer of peace than a war manoeuvre. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is founded on a calculated misinterpretation of the character of <br>
the struggle in the past, the present, and the future. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for the past, the German note takes no account of the facts, <br>
dates, and figures which establish that the war was desired, pro- <br>
voked, and declared by Germany and Austria-Hungary. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the Hague Conference it was the German delegate who re- <br>
fused all proposals for disarmanent. In July, 1914, it was Austria- <br>
Hungary who, after having addressed to Serbia an unprecedented <br>
ultimatum, declared war upon her in spite of the satisfaction which <br>
had at once been accorded. The Central Empires then rejected all <br>
attempts made by the Entente to bring about a pacific solution of <br>
a purely local conflict. Great Britain suggested a Conference, France <br>
proposed an International Commission, the Emperor of Russia asked <br>
the German Emperor to go to arbitration, and Russia and Austria- <br>
Hungary came to an understanding on the eve of the conflict; but <br>
to all these efforts Germany gave neither answer nor effect. Belgium <br>
was invaded by an Empire which had guaranteed her neutrality <br>
and which has had the assurance to proclaim that treaties were <br>
"scraps of paper" and that "necessity knows no law." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the present moment these sham [prétendues — pretended] offers<br>
on the part of Germany rest on a "War Map" of Europe alone, <br>
which represents nothing more than a superficial and passing phase <br>
of the situation, and not the real strength of the belligerents. A <br>
peace concluded upon these terms would be only to the advantage <br>
of the aggressors, who, after imagining that they would reach their <br>
goal in two months, discovered after two years that they could never <br>
attain it. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for the future, the disasters caused by the German declara- <br>
tion of war and the innumerable outrages committed by Germany <br>
and her Allies against both belligerents and neutrals demand penal- <br>
ties [sanctions — retribution], reparation, and guarantees; Germany <br>
avoids the mention of any of these. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In reality these overtures made by the Central Powers are noth- <br>
ing more than a calculated attempt to influence the future course <br>
of the war, and to end it by imposing a German peace. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The object of these overtures is to create dissension in public <br>
opinion [troubler l’opinion — disturb opinion] in allied countries. But <br>
that, public opinion has, in spite of all the sacrifices endured by the <br>
Allies, already given its answer with admirable firmness, and has de- <br>
nounced the empty pretence [vide — emptiness] of the declaration of <br>
the Enemy Powers. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They have the further object of stiffening public opinion in Ger- <br>
many and in the countries allied to her; one and all, already severely <br>
tried by their losses, worn out by economic pressure and crushed <br>
by the supreme effort which has been imposed upon their inhabitants. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They endeavour to deceive and intimidate public opinion in neu- <br>
tral countries whose inhabitants have long since made up their minds <br>
where the initial responsibility rests, have recognized existing responsi- <br>
bilities, and are far too enlightened to favour the designs of Germany <br>
by abandoning the defence of human freedom. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, these overtures attempt to justify in advance in the eyes <br>
of the world a new series of crimes — submarine warfares, deporta- <br>
tions, forced labour and forced enlistment of inhabitants against <br>
their own countries, and violations of neutrality. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fully conscious of the gravity of this moment, but equally con- <br>
scious of its requirements, the Allied Governments, closely united <br>
to one another and in perfect sympathy with their peoples, refuse <br>
to consider a proposal which is empty and insincere. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once again the Allies declare that no peace is possible so long <br>
as they have not secured reparation of violated rights and liberties, <br>
recognition of the principle of nationalities, and of the free existence <br>
of small states; so long as they have not brought about a settlement <br>
calculated to end, once and for all, horses [causes — causes] which <br>
have contributed a perpetual menace to the nations [qui depuis si <br>
longtemps out menacé les nations — which have so long threatened <br>
the nations], and to afford the only effective guarantees for the future <br>
security of the world. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In conclusion, the Allied Powers think it necessary to put forward <br>
the following considerations, which show the special situation of <br>
Belgium after two and a half years of war. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In virtue of international treaties, signed by five great European <br>
Powers, of whom Germany was one, Belgium enjoyed, before the <br>
war, a special status, rendering her territory inviolable and placing <br>
her, under the guarantee of the Powers, outside all European con- <br>
flicts. She was however, in spite of these treaties, the first to suffer <br>
the aggression of Germany. For this reason the Belgian Govern- <br>
ment think it necessary to define the aims which Belgium has never <br>
ceased to pursue, while fighting side by side with the Entente Powers <br>
for right and justice. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Belgium has always scrupulously fulfilled the duties which her <br>
neutrality imposed upon her. She has taken up arms to defend her <br>
independence and her neutrality violated by Germany, and to show <br>
that she remains faithful [et pour rester fidèle — and to be true] to <br>
her international obligations. On August 4, 1914, in the Reichstag, <br>
the German Chancellor admitted that this aggression constituted an <br>
injustice contrary to the laws of nations and pledged himself in <br>
the name of Germany to repair it. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During two and a half years this injustice has been cruelly aggra- <br>
vated by the proceedings of the occupying horses, which have <br>
exhausted the resources of the country, ruined its industries, devas- <br>
tated its towns and villages, and have been responsible for innumer- <br>
able massacres, executions and imprisonments. At this very mom- <br>
ent, while Germany is proclaiming peace and humanity to the world, <br>
she is deporting Belgian citizens by thousands and reducing them to <br>
slavery. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Belgium before the war asked for nothing but to live in harmony <br>
with all her neighbours. Her King and her Government have but <br>
one aim — the re-establishment of peace and justice [droit — right]. <br>
But they only desire [desire only] a peace which would assure to <br>
their country legitimate reparation, guarantees, and safeguards for <br>
the future.<br>

<hr>
<sup>1</sup><i>The Times</i>, London, January 1, 1917.