Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-26
NOTE OF WILSON
SOLE TOPIC OF THE
BRITISH DISCUSSION

ed by the Daily Chronicle. Some dis
cussion is also devoted to the chances
of congress passing food export meas
ures and possibly an embargo on cotton
and war materials.
GOVERNMENT SURPRISED.
Absolute and startling surprise was
the first feeling in Great Britain aroused
by President Wilson's note. The gov
eminent was surprised and frankly adj
mitted so. The members of parliament
were equally surprised, when the news
spread through both houses.
The newspaper offices were surprised
and undoubtedly the public was equally
surprised when they read Ambassador
Pages statement to the foreign office in
the morning papers. All informa ton
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
firms, has said that the president had
no intention of taking any steps toward
peace or making any move in European
affairs. When he transmitted Germanys
note to Great Britain without comment,
it was assumed that this action repre-
scented his general attitude toward the
European situation.
Most of the newspapers commented
upon this course with satisfaction. The
tenor of their comments today were 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 can not
accept the invitation to sit in a confer
ence.
The Daily News, which is the nearest
to pacifist among the London newspa-
pers, says regarding President Wilson's
note:
mo one can fail to appreciate the
spirit in which the proposal is made or
approve the cautious terms in which
1t is couched. The history Of the great
struggle in his own country is too re-
cent and too memorable for President
Wilson to be unaware Of the perils of the
too hasty Intervention. From our side
it was the spectre of European interven-
tion that haunted Lincoln, especially in
those days when the cause of the north
was passing through it's darkest. phase.
"Mr Wilson is far too wise to add that
trouble to the enormous burdens of the
nations engaged in the struggle for lib
erty not less vital and far greater. He
is taking soundings. If he finds the
water still too deep he will withdraw
his plumb line and wait until a more
favorable opportunity"
The newspaper says there is no suf-
fering in America comparable with that
in Lancashire during the cotton famine
brought about by Lincoln's blockade and
says II does not believe the American
people will put the disability they are
suffering in the scale against victory of
human liberty over despotism.
The Daily Chronicle says: Gas a lib
eral newspaper which has always made
a special feature Of endeavoring to
bring Great Britain and America closer
together and through evil report as
we'll as good has championed the pro-
gressive ideals of the United States in
this country we ask our friends across
the Atlantic to believe us when we say
no American state paper in our gener-
alton has been calculated to cause so
much pain, not merely to Englishmen
but TO liberal opinion throughout south
ern and western Europe.
1.-THE note is, in effect, however, diff
ferent by it's intention, an appendix to
that lately received from Berlin"
Saying that IL is not based on the
grounds of humanity or injury to the
United States. the Daily Chronicle says:
I'VE are bound to observe that with
only the recent exception in the matter
Of the Belgian slave raids. in which the
enemy nouted his remonstrances, Presi-
dent Wilson never in the face OF I'M
paralleled openings interviewed on the
ground of humanity before"
The newspaper then recounts a list
of alleged German outrages In Belgium
and elsewhere on which it says President
Wilson remained silent. 1t adds that he
protested against the Lusitania, Ancona
and Sussex "massacres" not because
they were inhumane. but because Ameri-
cans persisted by their inhumanity.
with this line-that humanity did
not warrant Intervention but American
interests did-we have never quarreled,"
continues the Daily Chronicle, but since
he omitted TO intervene to stop crime, is
it consistent he should intervene now to
hinder others from furnishing the crimi-
nals?"
The newspaper considers President
Wilson's statement that the objects of
both belligerents are virtually the same
is most painful for European liberals.