Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-16
WILSON NOT TO
SEND ANY WORD
With MESSAGES
President Will Not Accompany
Teuton Proposals to Allies
With Any Expressions
of His Own.
WILL FORWARD NOTE SOON
Formal Proposal of Teutons
Probably Will Be Trans
mitted Shortly.
VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT

Washington, Dec. lS.-lt was Of
fcialy announced at the White
House tonight that the United States
would not accompany the Central
powers peace proposals with any ex-
preston of its own when they arc
sent forward, and that it has not been
decided what steps will be taken later.
1t also was officially stated that
physical difficulties were the only rea-
son for delay and that the notes
would be sent forward to the entente
capitals as soon as all were in uni
form condition.
Secretary Lansing said there was a
possibility that they might go for
ward tomorrow, but that it was not
certain,
The note OF the Turkish government
| for transmission TO the entente pow
ers was received at the St3tc depart
mcnt late today, 1t is understood to
be substantially the same as the GcrA
man and Austrian notes. t
Washington, Dec. l5.-President
Visor probably will not finally de-
terminc on any formal steps in con-
nection with the peace proposals OF
the centr' power, until after David
Lloyd George, the British prime min
lister, has ,oken in the House OF
Commons Tuesday
In the m. antimc, through the
American diplomatic representatives
| in the capitals OF the entente powers,
the American government will keep
in close touch with the situation.
No formal COMM. was forthconl-
ing today either from the White
House or the State department. 1t
is known 10 be the viewio most Of
the cabinet members that the Amer
ican government should move cau-
tiously and do nothing to imperil !
inftence for peace. Il
Will Forward Note Today. Il
| Secretary Lansing carly today held
his first personal conference with
President Wilson since the peace pro-
A posals of the central powers were
made public. II was sail the formal
notes from Germany and Austria
might go forward before night, and
necessarily, in view OF the probability
that the president would take no in
dependent action until after Lloyd
George has spoken in the House OF
Commons, they probably will be ac-
companietN only by formal notes OF
transmittal.
Wilson's View Of Mediation.
President Wilson is known to at
tach great Importance to the posi-
siiity OF establishing an association
of nations to maintain peace He
outlined in definite terms the procc-
dure he would take in initiating a
peace movement in the course OF a
speech delivered here last May before
the League to Enforce Peace. At
that tine the president said
IF it should ever be our privilege
to suggest or initiate the movement
for peace among the nations at war,
. am quiz that tit PSopiNs vi lhC
United States would wish their gov
ernmcnt to move along these lines:
First, such settlement with re-
gard to their own immediate inter-
ests as the belligerents may agree
upon. We have nothing material OF
any kind to ask for ourselves and are
quite aware that we are in no sense
or degree parties to the present quar-
rel. Our interest is only in peace and
its future guarantees.
Security of the Sea.
Second, a universal association OF
the nations to maintain the inviolate
security OF the highways of the seas
for the common and unhindered use
of all the nations OF the world and
to prevent any war begun either con-
trary to treaty covenants or without
warning, and full submission of the
causes to the opinion of the world, a
virtual guarantee of territorial in
tegrity and political independence. i"
, |