Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1916-12-28
PRESIDENT WILSON
APPEALS FOR PEACE
SENDS WORD TO BELLIGERENTS
THAT A CONFERENCE
Il BE CALLED.
CAME AS A GREAT SURPRISE
No Actual Proposition OF Mediation
offered-Wants Them to Outline
Their Views for Peace Basis
Other Neutrals Interested.


Internationally contrary to
all expectations, President Wilson
has taken step to end the war, in
an appeal cabled to the belligerents,
suggesting that a peace conference
be called.
In official language it is couched
thus:
''That an early occasion be sought
to call out from the nations now at
war such an avowal of their respect
i've views as to the terms upon which
the war might be concluded, and the
arrangements which would be deem
ed satisfactory as a guarantee against
it's renewal or the kindling Of any
similar conflict in the future, as
would make it possible frankly to
compare them"
No actual proposal of peace or Of
fer of mediation Is included in the
presidents communication.
He asks merely that all the ma
lions now locked in the death grip
unloose their holds long enough to
each carefully outline the basis on
which they could consider peace, that
the neutral nations may sift their
proposals and see if there is not
some method of working out peace
agreement satisfactory to all.
Concerted Move Belief.
Coming in cooperation with the
announcement that the Scandinavian
countries and Switzerland are max
ing similar moves, officials are in
clined to believe that a concerted
move for peace by all neutrals has
been launched.
The president is believed to have
begun preparation of the note even
before the German peace proposals
were announced. However, it was
rushed through to completion and dis
patched as rapidly as possible.
It is not hoped to bring an abrupt
halt to the war through confer
,ence such as the president outlines;
but it is hoped that 1t will result in
clearing away all preliminaries so
that when the nations get ready to
stop the conflict, it may be speedy
stop.
The notes to the belligerents say
that the president "is Indifferent as
to the means taken to accomplish the
proposed conference; but that he
would be happy himself to serve or
even take the initiative in it's accom-
plishment in any way that might
prove acceptable, but he has no de-
sire to determine the method of the
fundamentally"
The presidents invitation to a con-
ference was delivered through Amer
lean ambassadors to high officials in
the ranks of the belligerents.
David Lloyd Georges speech is not
thought to have had anything to do
with the proposals, either way.
President Wilson is silent as to
his future program, but is emphatic
in his assertion that neither the en-
tente nor the Central Powers had
any hand in this latest critical move.
Diplomats representing both enten-
tie and central nations are openly
pleased over the announcement. In
it they declare they see definite pros
poets Of peace.
"Now," says the German ambas-
sador, Count Won Bernstorff, Il am
perfectly convinced that there will
he a conference"
One way will be as acceptable to
him as another, if only the great
object he has in mind be attained.
"He takes the liberty of calling at
tention to the fact that the objects
which the statesmen Of the belllg-
erents on both sides have in mind
in this war are virtually the same,
as stated in general terms to their
own people and to the world.
To Protect Weak.
Each side desires to make the
rights and privileges of weak peoples
and small states as secure against
aggression or denial in the future as
the rights and privileges of the great
and powerful states now at war.
Each wishes itself to be made Sc
cure in the future, along with all 9TH
er nations and peoples, against the
recurrence of wars like this and
against aggression of selfish inter
ference of any kind.
"The war must first be concluded.
The terms upon which it is to be con-
cluded they (the people of the Uni