The Sentinel=record., 1916-12-21

mo exchanges whatever had passed through the embassy here as preim Inary.
 The wish and hope of the German powers that President Wilson woult ,iWercede in some way has long been well known ald aas been conveyed in different ways to the white ho sa The attitude of the entente allies has
 been that an offer by the United States would be considered olmost the next thing to uHfriendiN That however, was before the German al
 lies Of their own accord brought for wa.d their pr .1osals for discussion of peace President Wilson specifically says n the notes he is somewhat em. barrassed in making the suggestion at this particular time, "because tt m1y now seem 10 have been promp. ej by a desire 10 play a part in con. uection with the recent overturcs Of the central powers"
 To the central powers fine president says his action was in mo way "sug-
 gested' by the Teutonic proposals. while to the entente allies he says his note Is "iu no way associated win them' To both sets of bel.igereats he says he would have delayed Of fering 1t until those oye9tures had been answered, but for the fact that it also concerns the question of peace and may be considered in connection with other proposals which have tho same end in yiew'
 Diplomatists consider it incredible that the president would bring for. ward such a proposal at such time unless he had reason to believe it w.m.d receive respectful considera- ton at the hands of all the beiiger- ents and, above aI would not p-efa. dice the position of ere United States as a possible mediator
 The German embassy view, colsfs. tcnuy hopefu that proposals of tha central allies would lead t9 a disaa.. sion Of peace, was expressed in this authorized statement by C0u Be-- storifo the German embassador:
 Now said he. T am perfectly con yinced that there will be a confer ence' President Roosevets move in 1905 to end the war between Russia and Japan. But in that ease the pres. ident had been assured his proposal would not be disasreeable to either or the heligerents and c1ri-us,y enough it was through Emperor William of Germany that the preliminary soal8- mes cIystallizad into the suggestion that President Roosevelt take tn. steps.
 Before that time President Roose. welt had conferred with Count Gas sjni, the Russian ambassador here and with Mr. Takahira, the Japaneso minister In the Russian capital the American ambassador, George ven l.. Meyer, had conversations with Count L3mCdorft tse Russian minister for lo. eiau affairs. In Tokj0 American Minister Griscom had conversations with Count Komura. the Japanese minister for tcreign affairs The out C me of all these preliminaries was that President Roosevelt was assured that he would not he humiliated by rejection of his action
 Those in official circles who world discuss the notes thought it worthy of attention that President Wilson. after saying his action had long been in mind, added:
 "TIe president can only beg that his suggestion bo considered entirely on its own merits and as if if had been made in other circumstances.
 The president looks forward in the note to the part the neutrals shat take in assuring the future peace Of the world He expressed justification in suggesting an immediate oppo- tcnity for a comparison of views as 10 tho terms which precede those ulh. mate arrangements for the peace of the world which all desire and in which the neutral nations as well as those at war a1e ready 10 play their full responsible Tart"
 The objects which the belligerents have in mind, the president points out are virtually the same as stated tn general terms to the people and to the world, but yet the concrete oh jects of the war "Aaye never been de- initely stated
 Never yet" he says, have the au- thoritatiye statesmen of either side ayowed the precise objects which would if attained, satisfy them and their people that the war had been fought out The world has been ,ef; to conjecture what definite result, what actual exchange of guarantees, what political or territorial changes CT readjustments. what stage of mil itary success even would bring the war to an end
 Tt may be-" continues the note. that peace is nearer than we know: that the terms which the belhgerehts on the one side and on the other would deem it necessary to insist
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