Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-18
President Wilson Thus Inter.
prets Sentiment of Warning
Powers in Europe.
NO CHANCE OF MEDIATION
BY THE UNITED STATES
Present Conditions Believed to For.
bid Further Effort With the
Belligerent Nations.

President Wilson sees little prospect
of peace in Europe reflected in the un-
official exchanges which American am
| bassadors have been conducting with
Germany, Great Britain, France and
Russia.
This was learned today at the White
House following a careful study of the
message which Ambassador Gerard
cabled, giving his recollection Of an in
formal converse tion with the imperial
German chancellor.
Until something more tangible and
more definite in the way of overtures
comes from the belligerents, the Presi-
dent feels that his hands are virtually
tied. To undertake to elicit terms from
Great Britain, France and Russia, as
germany suggested, would place the
President. he believes. in a delicate
position, in view Of what Sir Edward
Grey has told Ambassador Page.
British Secretary's View.
The British foreign secretary re-
Gently took the position that the war
had been forced on Great Britain;
that the neutrality OF Belgium had
been disregarded, and that it would
fore the allies could feel safe against
new attacks and before a treaty of
peace could be worth more than a
scrap of paper"
Sir Edward spoke of the earnest
wish of the triple entente for. peace,
but said they could make no comment
until they had received definite
statement of terms from Germany and
Austria. Substantially the same pos;-
tion was taken by France and Russia
and communicated through the Ameri-
can embassy as well Us their ambas-
sadors here
On comparing the expressions from
the allied powers and that Of the i'm
perial German chancellor. the Presi-
dent found that they took almost an
identical position, each charging the
other with responsibility for the war
and neither giving suggestions of any
basis for peace.
The President. 1t is understood, feels
that in view of the neutral position Of
the American government II would be
unwise to press either side to make
overtures to the other. He hopes, how
ever, that as tho Wat sprpgEezeeg one
side or the other win n axe Known fts
terms In some definite form SO that the
American government can act as a
medium OF transmission and forward
the peace movement without elnbar-
rAssment. ~,
Would Avoid Entanglements.
The President,is not disposed to take
any action as result of the unofficial
exchanges, because of their informal
character, all of them having been con-
Quoted orally, and is anxious to avoid
entangling the United States in the in
tricacies of European diplomacy
Count Won Bernstorh, the German
ambassador to the United States, de-
MED today that there is prospect of
T..
being taken by Germany. Talk of
peace was started. by the people Of the
United States" said the ambassador.
Its continuance after the answer sent
by the German government through
Ambassador Gerard depends upon the
attitude of the allies.
"As long as the talk of crushing and
dismembering Germany there Is abso-
lutely no possibility of peace. / am
quoting Premier Asquith and other
many could be crushed or dismem-
bered.
NO lasting peace would he possible
IL square Of German territory was
given up. That applies to the colonies
of Germany as we'll as the German en-
pire itself. It is perfectly clear that II
any territory was taken Germany
would again arm to the teeth"
An Undetermined Question.
Count Won Bernstorff was asked If it
was possible that peace in Europe
might lead to disarmament.
That" ne replied, would depend
upon the sentiment with which peace
was entered into by the allies"
Count Won Bernstorff said that un-
doubtedly the German emperor had
been informed of the talk between
Ambassador Gerard and the imperial
German chancellor and that the an
swer given had been. first submitted
to the emperor. He added that 1t
should be emphatically understood that
from a military viewpoint Germany
was not seeking peace at this time
any more than before.
It was regarded as significant in Of
ficial quarters today that President
Wilson had not cabled Ambassador
Page at London or Ambassador Her
rick at Paris anything concerning the
imperial chancellor's non-commital