New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-28
Capital Considers Ger
man Reply Dis
courteous
U-BOAT MENACE
STILL STANDS
Administrations Friends
Think Diplomatic Blum
der Was Made
From The rribun. Bureau. J


Mr.. Wilson's favorite stories con-
Germs the little boy and the apple,
which concludes: There amt go
ing to be no CORE
There amt going to be no next
step" expresses the peace situation
as far as the government of the
United States is concerned. Friends
of the Administration admit that
the President and his closest ad-
visers realize now that in reinforc-
ing the German peace move they
committed diplomatic blunder.
There will be no more notes to Ger
many, so far as present plans go.
The Administration. If its friends
here, who are usually well informed,
are to be believed, is now desperate
ly anxious TO repair the damage.
That anxiety became increasingly
apparent when the private adyices
as to the feeling among responsible
government officials-quite aside
from the popular opinion in Great
Britain, France and Russia-were
received and studied.
Opinions about Mr.. Wilson's peace
note are unanimous among the Allies,
and it would be difficult TO find words
harsh enough to describe those opinions
Mr.. Wilson has been informed through
every available channel that the i'm
preston created BY bis peace move
could no; have been worse
Wilson's Prestige Suffers
As far as playing the peacemsker's
role is concerned, Mr.. Wilson seems -
have failed so badly that his prestige
has been greatly lowered. II is ques-
tionsble if il ever will be recovered.
Representatives of the Allies and neu-
trails in the United State. thoroughly
understand, and representatives Of the
Teutonic governments more than thor
oughly understand. that the effect
whatever the motiye-of the Wilson
peace note has been to assist the peace
move which the Germans are now SC
anxious TO expedite.
The feeling that the government OF
the United States has blundered hs,
been increased rather than lessened by
further study Of the German reply re.
ceived yesterday. As lawyer ex.
pressed it to-day, such a reply woulo
be stricken out of court record or
the ground that il was not responsive
The Administration also keenly feel,
the discourtesy Of the action OF the
German government in giving its reply
10 the newspapers before il was re.
ceived formally by the government OF
the United States. All President viii
son has had to go on so far is the text
submitted to him yesterday by the As.
sociated Press. The official text has
not been received.
As has been stated, il is extremely
unlikely that Mr.. Wilson will 10 any.
thing further There are three courses
He may strive for dissssocia.ion from
the German peace move. He may con
tinue to reinforce it. Inaction is pref
| cradle TO either of those courses.
Fear U-Boat Outlawry
The motive for the dispatch OF an
American peace note at the. time Is
believed TO have been. as the Secretary
of State intimsted, fear OF another out.
break Of submarine frightfulness. Pos
s'bly the Germans will feel grateful 10
Mr.. Wilson for attempting to hclp
them and will respect Americans, but
even among Mr.. Wilson's friends thai
is felt 70 be rather vain hope
II seems incredible that Mr.. Wilson
could have expected the Germans 20
/ state concrete terms in their reply 70
4 his note. But he did expect il. And
/ he doesn't think now. according 10 de.
partment gossip to-day. that the Ger
mans were very polite in calmly ignor-
+ ing that portion Of his note They
might at least have pointed out the i.n-
! possibility Of stating terms now and
expressed regrets therefor.
In neutral diplomatic quarters to-day
the opinion was expressed that the
brief German note 10 the United States
/ presented a beautiful opportunity for
the Allies 10 reply without stating
terms.
Germany, the neutral diplomats point
out, has always claimed that the pres
ent struggle was forced on unwilling
/ Teutonic powers by a coalition whose
purpose was to crush Germany. As a
/ consequence, her statesmen have been
saying that all Germany desired was
positive assurance that there be no
I repetition Of such an attack. But now.
in her latest note, she says. following
almost literally the idea stated by Mr..
Wilson and this idea, by the way. il
was said to-day. was exclusively Mr..
Wilson's and inserted in the not'
against the opinion of all his advisers
that "the great work Of preventing fui-
ure wars can be begun only after he
end OF the present struggle OF the ma
tons
Germany's Confession
This is regarded as a confession that
Germany is not fighting defensive
war, with the sole idea of repelling al.
| tacks.
If there is one thing that the rep
resentstives Of the AllioS government