The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1916-12-24
DoEs NOT URGE AccEPT.
AnCT OF PROPOSAL
~ CERNAhf
MERELY INQUIRIES
INTO SITUATION
Notes Are Sent to NeuirAIa az
Well as 10 Nations Engaged
in Warfare.

Washington, Dee. 2ta@Ffesideht
Wilson has appealed 70 ~ u bel
hperents 70 discuss terms oi pence
Withou, actually PROPOSING peace
~ Offering mediation. the president
has sent formal notes 10 the govern.
ments Of all the warrng nations.
suggesting that "an early occasion
be sought to eaA out from the ma
tions now at war such an agowal of
their respective views as to The terms
upon which the war might be con
cluded and the arrangements which
would be deemed satisfactory rs
Guaranty against It's renewal on the
kindling of any similar conflicts in
the future. as would ms Sc it possible
frankly TO compare them
Wholly without notice and entire
ly contrary to what administration
officials have described as his course,
the president dispatched notes to all
the belligerents and to- all the neu-
trails for their information. Sum
married. in the presidents own words
as contained in the notes, his atti-
tude is as follows:
"The president is not proposing
peace; he is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing that
soundings be taken in order that we
may learn, the neutral nations with
the belligerent, how near the haven
of peace may be for which all man
kind longs with an intense and in
creasing longing. He believes that
the spirit II which he-soesks and the
objects which he seeks viii be under
stood by all concerned, and he con
fidently hopes for a response which
will bring new light into the af-
fairs of the world"
This latest development in the
rapidly moving world events toward
discussion of peace was not per-
mitted to become known until We'd
nesday night, when the notes were
well on their way to the American
ambassadors in the belligeront capi-
tails, and probably already in the
hands of some of them.
1t was a most distinct surprise TO
all official Washington, which had
been led to believe that with the for
NAL transmitted of the proposals of
the central powers the offices of the
United States would await further
moves between the belligerents them
selves and that certainly, in view of
the speech Of Premier Lloyd-George
and the announcements in Russia,
France and Italy, further action BY
neutrals would depend upon the next
careful and delicate move of the bel
ligerents.
The whole tenor of official opinion
throughout Washington, when the
presidents action became known,
was that It immeasurably improved
the prospects for some sort of ex-
changes looking toward an approach
of peace discussions between the bel
ligerents, without impairing the posi-
ton of the United States should they
finally be unable to find a ground on
which to approach one another
AT the White House no statement
whatever could be obtained as to
whether any of the powers even had
intimated how they would receive the
note and there was every indication
that the same careful secrecy which
prevented anything whatever be-
coming known about the president
action until it had been taken, would
surround any of the succeeding
moves.
Nowhere on the surface appears
any indication of the history-maklns
events which dlplomatlsts generaiis
are convinced must have transpired
since the German allies brought fortf
their proposals, to dispel the general
w prevalent belief that such am ac
ton on the part of President Wilson
would be unacceptable to the entente
powers.
British embassy officials declared
they we're utterly taken by surprise
we're wholly unable to explain it, an'
we're emphatic in their declaration
that no exchanges whatever ha'
passed through the embassy here a
preliminary.
The ymany friends of Mrs. ii. )
=. he chr r1