THE MORNING OltEGOXIAN, THURSDAY, DECE3IBER 31. 1916.
POWERS ASKED TO
GIVE PEAGE TERMS
President Sends Note to All
Belligerents That Basis of
J. Discussion "Be Found.
MEDIATION
NOT OFFERED
Action, Taken Without Xotice, Conies
as Surprise to Diplomats and
, Is Said to Propose Only That
Soundings Be Taken.
Continued From First Page.
since the German allies brought forth
their proposals to dispel the generally
prevalent belief that such an action
on the part of President Wilson would
be unacceptable to the entente pow
ers. "
British Embassy officials declared
they were utterly taken by surprise;
were wholly unable to explain it, and
were emphatic in their statement that
no exchanges whatever had passed
through the Embassy here as a' pre
liminary. The wish and hope of the German
powers that President "Wilson would
intercede in some way has long been
known and has been conveyed in dif
ferent ways to the White House. The
attitude of the entente allies as ex
pressed by their statesmen, and cer
tainly until recently in official ad
vices to the American Government,
has been that a peace offer by the
United States would be considered al
most the next thing to unfriendly.
President Admits Embarrassment.
All that, however, was before the
German allies of their own accord
brought forward their proposals for
discussions of peace. President Wil
son specifically says in the notes he
is somewhat embarrassed in making
the suggestion at this particular time,
"because it may now seem to have
been prom,pted by a desire to play a
part in connection with the recent
overtures of the central powers."
To the central powers the Presi
dent says his action was in no way
"suggested" by the Teutonic propos
als, while to the entente allies he
says his note is "in no way associated
with them." To both sets of bellig
erents he says "he would have delayed
offering it until those overtures had
been answered but for the fact that
it also concerns the question of peace
and may thus be considered in connec
tion with other proposals which have
the same end in view."
German Embassy Hopeful.
Diplomatists consider it incredible
that the President would bring for
ward such a proposal at such a time
unless he had reason to believe it
would receive respectful consideration
at the hands of -all the belligerents
and, above all, would not prejudice the
position of the United States as a pos
sible mediator.
The German Embassy view, consist
ently hopeful that proposals of the
central allies would lead to a discus
sion of peace, was expressed in this
authorized statement by Count von
Bernstorff, the German Ambassador:
"Now," said he, "I am perfectly
convinced that there will be a con
ference' Roosevelt's Action Paralleled.
The nearest parallel in world his
tory for President Wilson's action was
President Roosevelt's move in 1905 to
end the war between Russia and Ja
pan. But in that case the President
had been assured his proposal would
not be disagreeable to either of the
belligerents, and, curiously enough, it
. was through Emperor William of
Germany that the preliminary sound
ings crystallized into the suggestion
that President Roosevelt take the
steps.
Before that time President Roose
velt had conferred with Count Cassini,
the Russian Ambassador here, and
with Mr. Takahira, the Japanese Min
ister. In the Russian capital the
American Ambassador, George von L.
Meyer, had conversations with Count
Lamsdorff, the Russian Minister for
Foreign Affairs. In Tokio, American
Minister Griscom had conversations
with Count Komura.the Japanese Min
ister for Foreign Affairs. The out
come of all these preliminaries was
that President Roosevelt was assured
that he would not be humiliated by a
rejection of his action.
President's Justification Seen.
Those in official circles who would
discuss the notes thought it worthy
of attention that President Wilson,
after saying his action had long been
in mind, added:
"The President can only beg that
his suggestion be considered entirety
on its own merits and as if it had been
made in other circumstances."
The President looks forward in the
notes to the part the neutrals shall
take in assuring the future peace of
the world. He expresses jus
tification in "suggesting an im
mediate opportunity for a com
parison of views as to the terms
whick must precede those ultimate ar
rangements for the peace of the world
which' alf'desire and in which the neu
tral nations, as well as those at war,
are ready to play their full respon
sible part."
Definite Statement Sought.
The objects which the belligerents
have in mind, the President pointed
out, are virtually the same as stated
in general terms to their people and
to the world, but yet the concrete ob
jects of the war "have never been def
initely stated."
"Never yet," he says, "have the au
thoritative statesmen of either side
avowed the precise objects which
would, if attained, satisfy them and
their people that the war had been
fought out. The world has been left
to conjecture what definite results,
what actual exchange of guarantees,
what political or territorial changes
or readjustments, what stage of mili
tary success even would bring the war
to an end.
"It may be," continues the note,
"that peace is nearer than we know;
that the terms which the belligerents
on the one side and the other would
deem it necessary to insist upon are
not so irreconcilable as some have
feared; that an interchange of views
would clear the way at least for con
ference and make the permanent con
cord of the nations a hope of the im
mediate future a concert of nations
immediately practicable."
Note Long in Preparation.
There are indications that President
Wilson began preparation of his note
some time ago probably even before
the German proposals came out and
that of the offer of the central pow
ers and the succeeding developments
made a more favorable ppportunity
for its presentation.
The fact that the President asks
first only a clarification of terms is
taken as indicating that he is not ex
pecting an immediate conclusion. In
a war involving so many conflicting
interests, not only between the two
belligerent groups, but even between
nations of the same group, it is
realized that much time may be
needed even to bring about the mere
preliminaries of a conference. It is
desired, therefore, to clear away as
many of those preliminaries as pos
sible, so that when a solution is near,
either by victory or exhaustion, not a
day of needless slaughter may be nec
essary. v
Note Put on Cables Tuesday.
Just when the note was finished has
not been disclosed, but it is known
that it went to the cables yesterday.
On Monday the higher officials of the
State Department were taken into the
President's confidence and the text
was sent to the public printer to make
copies for the diplomatic corps. The
fact that the note was completed not
later than Monday; and its dispatch
Tuesday, indicate that it was sent re
gardless of anything that Lloyd
George might say. '
Officials expect the note to be re
ceived with general favor in Germany,
but many believe the real test will
come with its arrival in the entente
countries, where many influential per
sons have feared and sought to pre
vent any American intervention until
the military situation changed. From
the fact, however, that Lloyd George's
reply to the central powers was milder
than generally had been expected, and
still left the way open for further ne
gotiations, it is believed that the al
lies will meet the present note in at
least a friendly spirit. .
Germany Willing to Agree.
While German officials thoroughly
understand that President Wilson
made it clear that he was not in any
sense offering mediation to the
warring governments, it was declared
that, should the negotiations reach
that stage, Germany, being anxious
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to have the peace of Europe restored,
willingly would agree to such pro
cedure. Neither does it make any dif
ference to Germany, it was said,
whether the conference is composed
of representatives of all the belliger
ents or just the coalitions.
So far as Germany is concerned,
the view held here is that she would
be perfectly willing that a committee
of three, formed of a representative
of the central powers, a representa
tive of the entente and a represen
tative of the United States should
hold preliminary discussions. The
main idea of Germany and her allies
is to get each set of belligerents into
direct personal communication with
the other. The method is considered
of secondary importance.
The view prevails in German quar
ters that all the belligerents will make
some definite statement in reply to
the United States. The very phrase
ology of the American communication,
it is felt, calls for replies far more
definite than' mere acknowledgements
of receipt.
Count von Bernstorff may discuss
the situation with Secretary Lansing
some time tomorrow.
Texts Begin-Identically.
The notes to the belligerents are
prefaced with this instruction by Sec
retary Lansing to the American Am
bassadors presenting them:
"The President directs me to send
you the following communication to
be presented immediately to the Min
ister of Foreign Affairs of the gov
ernment to which you are accredited
The texts of the notes themselves
then begin identically, as follows:
"The President of the United States
has instructed me to suggest to the
(here is inserted a designation of the
government addressed) a course of
action with regard to the present war
which he hopes that the government
will take under consideration as sug
gested in the most friendly spirit and
as coming not only from a friend, but
also as coming from the representa
tive of a neutral nation whose inter
ests have been most seriously affected
by the war and whose concern for its
early conclusion arises out of a mani
fest necessity to determine how best
to safeguard those interests if the war
is to continue."
Embarrassment Is Experienced.
At this point the texts vary. Ih the
notes to the Central Powers this para
graph follows next:
"The suggestion which I am in
structed to make the President has
long had it in mind to offer. He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer it at
this particular time, because it may
now seem to have been prompted by a
desire to play a part in connection
with the recent overtures of the
central powers. It has, in fact, been
in no way suggested by them in its
origin and the President would have
delayed offering it until those over
tures had been independently an
swered but for the fact that it also
concerns the question of peace and
may best be considered in connection
with other proposals which have the
same end in view. The President can
only beg that his suggestion be con
sidered entirely on its merits, and as
if it 'had been made in other circum
stances." In the note to the entente allies the
following paragraph takes' the place
of the one just quoted:
"The suggestion which I am in
structed to make, the President has
long had it in mind to offer. He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer it at
this particular time, because it may
now seem to have been prompted by
the recent overtures of the central
powers. It is, in fact, in no way as
sociated with them in its origin and
appealing "human-nesg."
IP
Alder
comedy and Selig
the President would have delayed of
fering it until those overtures had
been answered, but for the fact that
it also concerns the question of peace
and may best be considered in con
nection with other proposals which
have the same end in view. The Pres
ident can only beg that his suggestion
be considered entirely on its own mer
its and as if it had been made in other
circumstances."
Avowal of Views Suggested.
Then all notes proceed identically as
follows:
"The President suggests that an
early occasion be sought to call out
from all the nations now at war such
an avowal of their respective views as
to the terms upon which the war
might be concluded and the arrange
ments which would be deemed satis
factory as a guaranty against its re
newal or the kindling of any similar
conflict in the future as would make
it possible frankly to compare them.
He is indifferent as. to the means
taken to accomplish this. He would
be happy himself to serve, or even to
take the initiative in its accomplish
ment in any way that might prove
acceptable, but he has no desire to
determine the method or the instru
mentality. One way will b.e as ac
ceptable to him as another if only the
great object he has in mind be at
tained. "He takes the liberty of calling
attention to the fact that the objects
which the statesmen of the belliger
ents on both sides have in mind in this
war are virtually the same, as stated
in general terms to their own people
and to the world. Each side desires
to make the rights and privileges of
weak peoples and small states as se
cure against aggression or denial in
the future as the rights and privi
leges of the great and powerful states
now at war. Each wishes to be made
secure in the future, along with all
other nations and peoples, against
the recurrence of wars like this and
against aggression of selfish inter
ference of any kind. Each would be
jealous of the formation of any more
rival leagues to preserve an uncer
tain balance of power amidst multi
plying suspicions, but each is ready
to consider the formation of a league
of nations to insure peace and justice
throughout the world. Before that
final step can be taken, however, each
deems it necessary first to settle the
issues of the present war upon terms
which will certainly safeguard the in
dependence, the territorial integrity
and the political and commercial free
dom of the nations involved.
United States Vitally Concerned.
"In the measures to be taken to se
cure the future peace of the world the
people and Government of the United
States are as vitally and as directly
interested as the governments now at
war. Their interest, moreover, in the
mean3 to be adopted to relieve the
smaller and weaker peoples of the
world of the peril of wrong and
violence is as quick and ardent as that
of any other people or government.
They stand ready, and even eager, to
co-operate in the accomplishment of
these ends, when the war is over, with
every influence and resource at their
command. But the war must first be
concluded. The terms upon which it
is to be concluded they are not at lib
erty to suggest, but the President
does feel that it is his right and his
duty to point out their intimate inter
ests in its conclusions, lest it should
presently be too late to accomplish
the greater things which lie beyond
its conclusion; lest the situation of
neutral nations, now exceedingly hard
to endure, be rendered altogether in
tolerable, and lest, more than all, an
(Concluded on PaK 17, Column 1.)
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Street at West Park.
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