Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-12-22
WILSON APPEALS
TO BELLIGERENTS
Sends Note to Warning Nations
In Hope That Some Means
May BE Found That Will In
sure Early aud Permanent
Peace.

Washington. Dee. 2i. 1905 Il M
, resident Wilson has appealed TO NIL
.h' hc'llgcrcnts to discuss terms a.
peace. ~ va
Without actually proposing peace.
"''tihg mediation, the president
mas SvGt formal notes To the povcrn-
menlS OF all the warning nrtions sur-
gcSting that AN early occasion bc
sought to call out from the nations
H"w ut war such avowal of their
respective views ms L. the terms upon
which the war MIGHT be concluded and
arrangements which would be deemed
satisfactory aS II guara niuc nruinst
IT'S renewal or thc kind.inp of nnv
similar conflict in he future as would
make II possible frankly 10 compare
them" 'i'''e
Wholly without notice, and en-
lircly contrary To what ;,dministrn-
lioh officials have described MS his
course, the president last night dis
patched the notes to al the belip
rents and to all the ncutluls for their
information.
II waS most distinct surprise to
all Official Washington, which had
hceh lcd To believe that with the for
maj trnnamittal of the proposals of
ne central powcr, the good Offices of
'lc United states would await rurth
rr moves between the hclligcrcnts
'nmsr'vcs' and that certainly, in view
y, ,he speech Of Premier Lloyd
George aud the announcements in
RuSaia, France and Italy. further
actions 10y ncutrals would ,,rurnd
upon thc nest careful and delicate
moves OF the bclligcrcnts.
| me whole tenor of official opinion
Throughout Washington when tEn
president S action became known wns
lhnt 1t immcasurably improves The
prospects for some sort Of exchange
looking. toward an approach or peace
discussions between the bcllipercnis
without lmparing the position of the
United States, should they finally be
unable to find Il ground on which to
Iapproach one another.
ihcn nll the notes proceed idcnti-
caly ms follows:
The president suggests that an
early occasion be sought to call oul.
from all the nations now nj war smrb
I'm hNowal OF their respective views
as To the terms upon which the war
might he concluded and the arrange
mchts which would be deemed salts
factory aS Il guarantee against its re-
hcwni or The kindlinE or any Gimilar
conflict IN The future ;.s wcllld make
II possible frankly to compare them.
lie Is Indifferent MS to the means tok-
en- to accomplish this. He would bo
lnppy himself to serve or even take
The initiativc in its accomplishment in
any way that might prove acceptable,
but he has no desire to determine the
methods or the instrumcntnlily. One
way VIII be aH acceptable to him as
another If only the great object he
has IN mind he attained.
~
at may be that peace is nearer
nan we know; that terms which the
bclligcrcntS on the one side and on
the other would deem il necessary tv
insist upon are not irrcconcilnblc ns
some have feared; that AN inter
change of views would clear the way
ut least for conferences and make the
permanent concord Of the nations n
hope cr the immediate future; n con-
cert Of nations Immediately practic-
able
"fhc president is not proposinp
peace; he ig not even Offering mcd;l-
ton. lie is mcrly proposing that
soundings be takcn in orCicl. that we
may lcarn-thc neutral nations with
the bclligcrcntS-- near the heaven
of pciice may be for which all man
Kind longs with an Intense and in
rronsinE longing. He believes tha.
the spirit in which he speaks and the
objects which he seeks will be under
stood by all concerned and he conf
IDENTIFY hopes for Il response which
will bring a new light into the affair
CT the world"