Evening star., 1916-12-24

Information as to their exact
meaning in seeking a lust and
permanent peace is the whole :
purpose of the note addressed to
all the belligerents by President
Wilson. The United States de-
sires a full. practical and detailed
statement from each of the gov
ernments addressed. This out
line and what follows, was stated
officially yesterday for the admin
istration.
This government does not
know, and feels that it has had no
real means Of knowing, what
terms would be required by each
of the belligerents to make peace.
1t regards the recent speeches of
the leading statesmen in all coun-
tries as vague and underlined and
sees nothing in them that would
enable conference to draw up q
treaty.
Their Meaning Obscure.
All speak of the rights of small ma.
tions, the repugnance of conquest and
the guarantees Of permanent peace. :
but no one nation has yet gone into
what it means by those phrases in q
way that the government of the United
States can understand.
Recent press comment has been tai ken
to enhance that vaEueness. France,
for instance. has not disclosed il what
she considers a just peace means the
evacuation of her northern provinces;
or. in addition to that. the restoration
of Alsa Lorraine. or if in addition
to both those claims she expects =
money indemnity for the damage of
invasion: or. beyond that. If she has
an actual program for doing away with
so-called German militarisn. Ia short.
the United States asks what would she
accept today the basis OF peace.
President Wants Details.
Similar issues apply to all the bsl-
ligerent countries in merely "A varying
form. What President Wilson wants
is the details. As the largest neutral
facing grave problems and as the friend
of all parties concerned, the United
States feels most earnestly that II is
entitled to know those facts. tnless
some one of the groups lays down its
actual terms there will be no basis for
negotiation and no possibility Of peace
till the world is bled white, officials de.
clare.
There is not the slightest expectation
here that the terms laid down Will be
reconcila bic at first 1t is known that
some OF the nations viii demand what
in actuality is impossible. NeNerthe-
less. the naming of those terms VIII
afford basis of negotiation. start.
ing place from which Che confictin8
interests can begin to converge
Nor is any embarrassment seen 10
any of the nations in naming SUCH
terms 1t is understood IN advance
that they are apt to fiuctuate with the
military changes and are not perma-
Emily binding under new conditions.
yyhateyer any nation feels must be in
Guided in its terms for moral reasons
90, ,ISo he added to the terms W1th~
ont en,harra ssment. it is said.
Ready to Join League.
AS to permanent guarantees. IT was
of,icially declared that the United
states stands ready to enter any kind
of international agreement that may
seem most desirable to the nations,
whether permanent peace is to be se-
cured by force. if necessary. or by law.
The country is not committed to any
.one nlan and President Wilson is en-
tirelv open to suggestions. 1t is the
administration view that the country
can be committed to an abandonment
of the policy of isolation. much az
President Monroe committed 1t to the
,Jonroe doctrine, without Senate &C.
tion. In the plans so far contemplated
howeyer, il is probable the nations
would be bound by treaty agreements
which would necessarily have to BE-
ratified by the Senate. so far as the
United States is concerned.
A fuller understanding OF the em-
caused to the administra-
tion by the coincidence of its note with
the German proposals was given yes
terday, when it was said that. despite
the early unfavorable effect which the
note was expected to- have in the allied
countries through that fact. 1t was de-
cided to risk it in view Of the greater
interests involved. 1t ID expected y