Evening star., 1916-12-22
BRITAIN WITHHOLDS COMMENT
ON PRESIDENT WILSON'S NOTE
A. Bonar Law Announces in House of Com
mons Statement Will Not Be Made at
Present-Views of the Press.

Members of parliament were equally sur
! p-ised when the news spread through
both houses during the afternoon scs-
sion
| The newspaper offices were surprised.
ami undoubtedly the public was equally
surprised. when it read Ambassador
Pages statement TO the foreign Office
in the morning papers. All information
from America in the last few days, both
in dispatches from the usually best in
| formed Washington correspondents and
in advices TO the banking and business
7 firms. has said that the President had
. no intention of taking any steps to-
ward peace or making any move in
European affairs. When he transmit ed
Germany's note to Great Britain with
out comment it was assumed that this
action represented his general attitude
toward the European situation.
Most of the newspapers commented
upon this course with satisfaction. The
tenor OF their comments will be that
, Premier Lloyd Georges speech and the
speeches of the Russian. French and
Italian statesmen have affirmed the en-
tente allies position. and that unless
the German government gives notice of
the nature of the proposals which it
would bring to a conference the allies
cannot accept the invitation to sit
around European council table for a
discussion or its terms.
Views of London Papers.
When the editorials of the British
newspapers We're written Secretary
Lansing's statements had not been re-
ceived. No London papers, not even the
semi pacifist Daily News. welcome
Americas action, while the Daily
! Chronicle. always a leader in move
ments promoting Anglo American
friendship, particularly objects to its
general tenor and says that the note
serves to second Germany's advances
Ronar Laws speech in the house of
commons was regarded at Westminster
as a direct answer to President Will
son. 1t was delivered with degree of
feeling, which Mr.. Law. the most un-
emotional Of statesmen. had never dis
played before. Corp. Hastings B. l..
Smith to whom he replied, is a liberal
, member who opposed conscription. and
he spoke as one from the ranks at the
front.
The Morning Post in an editorial re
CARDS President Wilson's 'deta chment'
as passing belief and reminiscent of
the attitude of the antique gods. Co
ing through the Presidents statements
in a highly ironic vein the Post says:
we had supposed by this time even
th. Americans realized what the ma
tions were fighting about. but as they
profess ignorance we shall attempt to
explain the matter to them. Germany
set out to conquer Europe
If the United Kingdom, like the
United States, had stood aside, the
Morning Post argues. Germany might
have succeeded, and then with Europe
CONQUERED there would have remained
the United tSates.
+ Does President Wilson suppose that
the Monroe doctrine and the American
navy together would have been suffi-
most unprotected territory of North
and South America? ?" asks the Morning
Post I'VE fighting for the lives,
possessions and liberties of ourselves
and our allies, and. lastly, we
are fighting for the lives. possessions
and liberty of the rest of the world. in
GLIDING the two Americas. and we reply
frankly to the President that these
can only be secured by the defeat of
Germany"
Note Called Inopportune.
The Daily Telegraph says nobody
will impute anything but the worthiest
of\4notiyes and the sincerest purpose
of impartiality between the combat
ants to President Wilson. but consid-
ers his note inapportune. The Tele-
graph believes that a great many of
President Wilson's fellow citizens will
take the same view. and says it thinks
il is misunderstanding of the high
interests of humanity to believe they
, can best be served by bringing about
peace. 1t asks what the north would
CONTINUED on Ninth Page)