New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-28
ADVISES WILSON
TO RECALL NOTE
pail Mall Gazette Says
Germany Used u. ).
for Own Ends
COMMENT
HITS BERLIN REPLY
Reject American Proposal
and Get On with War,
Press Attitude

London. Dec. % The promptness OF
the German governments reply to
President Wilson, note is character
lied by the evening newspapers to-day
AS evidence OF Germauy's csgerness TO
bring tho war TO an end "rhe Stand
ard" says:
cit would be mistake TO neglect
the German peace man9uvres, but II
would be even more fatal to waste time
ever them We trust the government
will give President Wilson perfectly
courteous but also a definite reply and
then get on with the war as energeti-
cally as possible
Germany Whitewashed by l. :.
"The Pail Mall Gazette" says:
Germany has not been slow 20 seize
the advantages given her by President
Wilson's maladroit diplomacy. IL
would be a real triumph for Germany
10 have herself recognized as the wire
puller Of the power whose subjects her
submarines drowned with impunity and
which lectured her in the name of all
the cardinal virtues. It would tesch
the world that by letting the Ameri-
cans do the talking Germany under
stands how 10 get her own way event
ually in the sphere of practical pol
tiles
"The studied impartality OF the
American note supplies Germany with
q coat of whitewash Of which she was
badly I'm need. Germany proposes an
immediate conference Of beligerents,
which appears to her 20 be the most
promising way of promoting a assure
in the Entente.
"The Allies have only one possible
attitude to this namely, they will hold
10 discussion with ulpunished Grim
inal or with u powe whose most sol
cmn engagements are mere scraps OF
paper If MIR. Wilson's real object WAS
70 elicit plain statement of the aims
and terms Of both sides Berlin's an
swer shows that he failed
Uurges Withdrawal of Note
1T did not require a note TO procure
a plain statement Of the Allied cause
Upon the German side the invitation
meets with summary dismissal. The
III conceived note has been frustrated,
and the most dignifed course now
would be its frank withdrawal
The following is from The Westmin-
ster Gazette:
For two or three days the pretence
was kept up that the American pro
posals were an unfriendly attempt 10
snatch the prize of victory from the
German people, but this clearly is not
at all the view of the German govern
ment, which sees in it a welcome OPP
portunity TO improve the occasion and
az the same time push forward its own
proposal for stopping the war.
President Wilson is not 10 blame for
this. and we should be very unwise 20
rush 10 the conclusion that he expected
10 receive this answer and was 10 that
extent playing into the hands of the
Germans
Germany Must State Terms
Commenting on a Washington dis
patch 70 the effect that President Will
soon was inspired by the desire 10 give
the belligerents, especially Germany.
better excuse for defining their con-
captions Of a possible settlement and
the German reply that an immediate
exchange OF views was the most ap-
propriate road in order 10 reach the
desired result. "The Westminster Ga
zette" says:
"lhc German government can scarce
iy be so naive as to suppose the Allied
governments would suspend hostilities
or enter into conference with an en-
envy who has Just proclaimed himself
the victor without knowing, even
through the usual indirect channels,
what he was going TO propose.
ut is Germany who proposed the
negotiations 1t is Germany who consid-
crs herself to be in the superior position.
II is Germany who wants to stop the
war. Therefore, II must be for her. as
the initiator OF the proceedings. to
define In general terms the basis on
which she proposes TO negotiate.
Careful Reply TO United States
There apparently are many msun-
derstandings. both here and in Amer
lea. about President Wilson's inten-
tions. and that makes IL the more i'm
portant that we should make our own
position plain We hope therefore,
that our reply to the American note
will be a careful and we'll reasoned
statement of the position as we under
stand IL and not a mere hasty dis
missai Of the American note. as if it
we're ultra vircs. The United States