New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-14
Capital Wonders if He
Will Urge Allies
to Treat
MAY GIVE HIS VIEWS
IN PUBLIC ADDRESS
Impression Prevails Ger
man Proposal Will
Be DiSdained

Washington, Dec. 13.-All interest
here now centres in whether President
Wilson, in addition to transmitting the
German peace proposal to the Allies,
will add the weight of his own influence
to induce acceptance Of it.
Still without official sdvices Of Ger
many's move, the President to-day
maintained silence as to the part he
would play in it. Secretary Lansing,
representing him, said no comment was
possible until the official dispatches
were received and It was known def
nitely what the Central Powers were
asking the United States to do.
In spite Of the pressure being brought
to bear on the President by pacifsts
and German sympathizers, however, 1t
is expected that he will take no official
step, but that he may, in statement
or speech, express the hope that the
German proposal will be fruitful OF
some good for humanity.
Besides the possibility of becoming
involved in the negotiations, even IN
such an unofficial way. however, there
is another view Of the question that
is giving officials much concern:
viii Germany. If thwarted In this
effort. return to the war determined to
pursue 10 the utmost policy of out
lawry and frightfulness?
Suspect Plot by Germans
Specifically. officials are wondering
whether the submarine campaign may
be reopened on the old scale OF Lusi-
tania days. In some quarters 1t ~ even
feared that Germany put forth her
uroposal for peace without any hope
OF It's acceptance, but with the sole
purpose of providing herself with an
excuse for fighting the war henceforth
on her own terms.
The State Department is ready TO
drop the controversy over the Marina
and the Arabia at the point where II
seemed obvious that Germany's pledges
10 the United States had been aban-
doned and await the outcome OF the
peace offer If conference results. 1t
is practically certain that nothing will
be done By this government that might
by any chance increase the danger OF
serious friction with any OF the bellig-
erents.
If the Allies reject the German sug-
eestion. the Marina and Arabia cases a t
least will be as good as forgotten, and
Germany will have another chance to
make good her promises TO the United
States.
Delay Is Foreseen
Speculation as TO the probable action
of the Allies when they receive the
German note led TO the conclusion to-
dav that. while the leaders of the Al
lied governments might make public
declarations in their parliaments this
week, there was little likelihood Of a
definite acceptance or rejection until
all the Allies have conferred and agreed
on concerted action. This may take
week or more.
The belief is, in circles friendly to
the Allies, that the offer must be re-
iected. At the same time, it is realized
that in doing this it will be difficult for
the Allied governments to make clear
their position before the world. The
German offer, by emitting to mention
terms, attempts to place the response
bility for further bloodshed on the ma
tions that refuse even 10 discuss peace.
But the offer must be rejected, il is
declared. because the military situa-
ton at this time does not warrant the
Allies in demanding the only terms
that would guarantee Europe against
another holocaust. What the Allies are
after, they say, can be won only by
arms, and not by diplomacy.
1t will be necessary, therefore, for
the Allied governments to make some
statement of the real purpose of the