The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-16
WILSON WILL TRANSMIT PEACE
PROPOSAL WITHOUT COMMENT
WILL HOLD HIMSELF
READY TO ACT ANY TIME
Delay in Transmitting Notes
Explained After Lengthy
Cabinet Meeting.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-President
Wilson has decided that the notes OF
the Central Powers. proposing dis
cussion of peace to the Entente Allies
will be sent forward by the American
government acting as intermediary
without any accompanying medlauon
o6er to its own. He has not determ.
ined whether any action IN oenalt OF
peace will be taken later by the onlteo
States On its own account, but Is noia'
ing himself In readiness to serve, IN
any Yay possible toward bringing the
warning nations together.
The course to be pursued was made
known tonight, after the President had
conferred with Secretary Lansing
and after prolonged cabinet meeting,
It was stated that the delay in FOR
warding the notes to the Entente cap
, itals was due to the fact that the mes
sages received from Germany Austria
Hungary and Turkey, identical IN SUD,
stance, differed slightly in pRraseology
as a result Of the different transla'
tions. They probably will be put Oh
the cables tomorrow
Since the first note arrived. the one
from Germany, the President and nus
closest advisers have been absorbed
in study Of the situation created. Inc
Austrian note followed and the one
from Turkey came late today, too lale
10 be translated for the cabinet meet
ing. Those from Germany and austria
have been gone over carefully Dy tne
President and Secretary Lansing to
make certain of. their meaning, anu Sc
that they may be sure TO properly
represent the intent Of the CentTal
Powers.
Cabinet Meeting Lengthy.
The fact that the cabinet meeting
today lasted. more than three nours
and was the most prolonged OF tne
wear. attracted profound attention IL
official circles and led to all sorts o.
speculation. 1t was explained autnoTi
&c tatively later, that the meeting was
devoted largely to conslueration VI
departmental matters. and mad pee,
prolonged because 1t was the hrs'
time since the campaign that all INK
members had been present.
From others in the White House. j
was learned@that some word 1ndlcat
ing the official attitude of the Entente
Allies toward the peace proposal ]:
being awaited with the deepest inter
est By the American government
The President will not consider IN
iecting the United States into the Slt
uation unless he is thoroughly 1amil
lar with all its phases.
Secretary Lansing, explaining the
delay in transmitting the communlca
,ionS of the Central Powers, pointed
out that the Gssrmap note was trans
lated into English by Charge Grew a
Berlin and the one from Austria, pS
Ambassador Penfield at Vienna; while
the Turkish mole came To- the State
Department in French. All the com
m,,nications vera intended to be ldpu
tical. the State Department does no
desire to transmit three different yer
S!ons, and when three are IN hand 70
morrow. plan 10 avoid this Will G.
determined upon.
How Represented
In England France and Japan, thu
government represents all three leu
ionic countries. and will Therefore
have to deliver three separate notes
In Russia and Serbia the Un1tet
States represents Austria and Ger
many and vii have TO send only twt
separate notes. Only to Belgium
where Austria is represented and u
Rumania. where Germany is repre-
sented. will It be possible TO send onl!
one note. !,
To avoid duplication of cables b!
sending several copies OF the same
note to the same country and also t!
insure one official version FOR Al
three notes entrusted 10 this govern
rnent. it is possible that caretu
translation will be made at the depart
ment and compared with the texts a.
arriving here.