The evening world., 1916-12-23
DON'T ACT HASTILY
|NREPLyT0W|LSON,
SAYS THIS PAPER
Manchester Guardian Asks
Britains Not to Help Play
Gemany's Game.
| NEW VIEW BY THE PRESS.
Hope Expressed That Hint of
Peace Around the Corner
Is Well Founded.

LONDON. Dec. 23.--AnalyEing the
criticisms Of President Wilson's note
20 the beliigerent nations, tho Man
chester Guardian in remarkable
editorial, a column long, which II
unique because IL ondeavors to in
terpret the Presidents viewpoint.
sounds a word OF caution to-day
against hasty and ill-consldcred ac-
ton In maloing a reply.
Tho Guardian believes that the note
II cooily considered and wisely an
swered, can only help tho allies
cause and throw into stronger relief
tho moral weakness OF the German
position The newspaper emphasizes
q point which II says seems to have
been forgotten In this country, that
the identical note was addressed to
all belligerents, and says that care
ful reading OF the passage In which
President Wilson suggests that both
sides are fighting for the same end
reveals that the President said that
this is what tho belligerents tell their
own countrymcn.
The Manchester Guardian then
sounds a warning against the "allies
being betrayed into playing Ger
many's game because II we put our
selves wrong with America we do
play Germanys game" Tho news
paper then adds this advice:
Let us avoid imputing motives
take the Presidents note at its face
value az a perfectly sincere docu-
ment mehning simply what It says.
Tho newspaper says when II is re.
membered that Germany has made
no definite proposal II must also be
borno In mind that President Wilson
does not invite the allies to do any
thing Germany already has done. and
that the note equally is an invita-
ton for Germany to do something
she may not md easy.
"If we resent every suggestion OF
peace and are bent on seeing Ger
man notwithstanding In every-men.
tion of an end TO the war We shall
quite gratuitously be placing our
selves In an unenviable light"
The London press generally TOOK
a new tack to-day In figuring
out why President Wilson sent
his peace note. The first outburst oi
indignation having died dowr
somewhat, editorials to-day begar
specuiating on tho belief that the
American President has something
up his sleeve"
Some had the idea that the not,
was based on special Information
which Wilson had obtained as to the
exact terms which Germany Is will
ing to mako and that the note wa'
not an indication Of an anti-All,
sentiment.
The two statements by the Ameri'
can Secretary OF State Lansing wer'
held thoroughly bewildering-but thu
editorials agreed they were a sid'
issue.
All newspapers expressed tho hop'
| tuat tuo n t~-~~'
may be lust around the corner
might have been based on sccre
information from Germany.
An Amsterdam despatch 70 th'
Post mentions a rumor there tina
Germany sent note to the neutra
powers announcing that a ruthles
submarine war would bo insugurate
unless peace was concluded and an
other rumor that Germany pianne
to close the Mediterranean by mean
OF submarines.
/. The Pail Mall Gazette came ou
frankly to-day with the suEgestio
; that tho President withdraw the i'ot'
whether II was simple Oversight
or a case OF over-subtlety." the edl
torial asserted, "the President grave
ly blundered. and unless the olunde
Is revoked II will bear evil and irrev
ocsble fruit"