The sun., 1916-12-27
NOTE e + AS PUZZLE.
lsndow .1imes'' says u Plays the
GrrmnW Tn nae

Grrmnw t:N M
S1ecioi Cable besp,t,h to Tas stS from the
Loado" Times.
LoNpoS. be-. 27.-ln an editorial
headed ~ Mysterious Note" the Times
nays.
eve caunot pretend that the long
author ! .ative ticssasc from our W ish-
ington correspondent on Mr.. WtlsoiIs
note serves to make that remarkable
document more Ineligible or more ac-
ceptablc than before. II tolls US that
h prtsldort In no way intends To play
the Germ Il game that n" is nov, ss
always, absolutcl. neutral That we
fully believe. hut unfortunately tho L.
ouance of the note Immediately after
the German peace oiies does play the
German : me M II IL recognized by all
Europe. The puzzle Is how the Presi-
dent, with his experience OF affairs and
his exceptional means OF Information.
en- ever have dcludeH himself into the
Gupposition that such an act at such a
ZINE would not play that game.
The calling Of a conference with an
omtent neutral statesman presiding over
the proceedings II perhaps what Price
Bell Of the Chicago Daily News may
have In contemplation when he adjures
u.s. to put aside all mistaken unfriendly
Interpretations OF Mr.. Wilson'S inten-
tSouaiiy obscure language and give him
Naming programme Mr.. Bell Is
eonfldent that the Presidents object If
3 compel Germany to confess her GRIM
lnal Intentions Mr.. Bells exposition OF
the policy which Mr.. Wilson so care
fIlly wraps up Is somewhat impaired
~ the conflict between the assurance
that ali MIR. Wilson wants Ia a power
fll re~afirmation Of our purposes and
The Inspired statement Of the Associated
Press that what nc wants In a statement
o. the territory ana other details of
the allied terms.
The demand 10. we believe. without a
.nrscedent IN diplomacy. The explana-
don IL rendered that IL It seems to he
uiayfnG Germany's game. this II a mere
oocident. II represents a purely Ameri-
eAn policy. 1t happens. however. to cor
respond very closely with the deep and
energetic game of the Prussian propagan-
dists. They are urging America to seize
m unprecedented opportunity for serving
humanity and arc egging on Mr.. Wilson
20 ssiss q like opportunity for making his
tory. The reasons why the German
oaouh further the peace talk
now are transparent.
Then We hear a great deal about the
lossee and Inconvenience which the wal
u causing to Americans. though these
are AZ nothing compared with thor(
which the Lancashire operatives cheer
fully bore against slavery. Specia
weight II laid upon the contention tina
the United States mtsht have TO fgh'
with a possible reci udescence OF suo
marine atrocities. That America SHOULD
sArink from such a necessity is natural
but the argument In dangerous on tn
lipu Of a statesman who has claimed tina
his fellow citizens are trustees OF TIT
moral judgments Of the world. What !
ecmes to IL tina in order to save Americs
from being lmpelled by conscience ant
honor to hght the perpetrators OF tn
atrocities the Allies wight to assent to
course which would play into the Grim
inaIs' hands. That would he to Civ,
triumph not only to trat milltarisf
which Mr.. Wilson so admirably described
N June hut TO a most wicked and das
aardly development OF that evil spirit.
.'The right policy for ,he Allies i
Diain. IL IL to reiterate again the state
ments OF their aims which they have -
often given. but IL refrain from com
nunicating To even the frlendliest ant
most trusted OF the neu,rals Information
which might help the enemy and 1
adopt the attitude toward all proposal
OF foreign Intervention which bot
houses Of Congress adopted in March
1853. Every such proposal they de
clared. was regarded as sound a.ld rta
s0nable, hut inadmissiblc. and the onl.
explanation Was TO he found In "A mis-
understanding OF the true state or tn
question. the real character Of the war
They added that. because they would en-
courage the enemy, Congress would b
obliged to look upon any further at
tempts IN the same direction ~ un
friendly acts