The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-12-22
OPENING WIDER THE DOOR.

Because Englands reply, stripped Of all
bargain superfluities, leaves such an en-
couraging opening for peace negotiations,
President Wilson has felt justified in urging
the different powers to make known their
conception of the foundation on which a
shattered civilization could once more be
bui1ded. The statement that this note was
prepared before the tenor of Lloyd
Georges answer was known, is for official
purposes purposes only, and will deceive
no one. 1t would be poor Ambassador
who could not find out and cable to his
government a policy that was forecasted in
this country. Nothing else indeed could
justify the presidents astonishing depart
ure from course determined after Russia
had declared so uncompromisingly that
she would hear, talk and see nospeace.
Mind, President Wilson'S note does not
mean that peace is assured, but it does
mean that peace is more probable than it
was on December IL, when Germany's pro-
posal was first hailed as the break of a new
dawn.
Without actually offering mediation, the
/ president has sent formal notes to all the
warning governments suggesting that
early occasion be sought to call out from.
all the nations now at war such avowal of
| their respective views as to the terms upon
which the war might be concluded and ar
rangements which would be deemed salts
| factory as a guaranty against its renewal
or the kindling of any similar conflict in
the future as would make it possible to
compare them frankly"
That is to say the Central Powers will
say what they want and the Entente will
say what they want-there win be wide
divergence between the two, but both may
recede little and find an understanding
on some middle ground
| How anybody can hear a conaueror's
| voice in Germany's proposal, passeth ur-
derstanding. Bombastic, Bethmann-Foll-
weg's note may be-but then the average
: business deal is bornbastic. Words, words
! words The phrasing could hardly be diff
| ferent. But where the the mighty indem.
mites with which the Imperial Govern
ment was wont to rainbow the future fol
its suffering people, contributing even Their
E wedding rings to the war fund? Where
] are the territorial conquests, to accommo
date German expansion? Where is The
+ commercial dominion that was to be won.
! Abandoned before demanded By not &C
j complishing its objects Germany has los
t the war By preventing it, the Allies have
e won the war, and the principal object fo
: which they are now fighting is ''effectua
n guarantees for the future
o That is to say, both sides simply wan
: to be, let alone, and after two and a hal
d years of terrible suffering that has accom-
e plished nothing, President Wilson is sim
ply urging them to tell each other Just hoV
e much they want to be let alone.
e As we have said so many times already
o the future depends entirely on German
= and the ultimate honesty of her intentions
al That must be demonstrated. Later or
y the United States may offer to mediate
IS and it matters reach this point peace WI
e be an accomplished fact, for the powers
IS by accepting, will acknowledge that ther
lie is a way out, as in the case of Russia an
m Japan, when, too, there was an indemnit
i'd problem to solve-and indemnity is like t
t. be the principal demand of the Allies.