The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-12-22
U. S. DOING NOTHING
TOEND THE WAR

Il
Washington, Dec. 20.--Nothinr
whatever is being done by the United
States toward suggesting a plan By
which the war in Europe may ~
ended. Nothing will be- done until
the situation seems auspicious and
conditions ripe for the acceptance 81
suggestion by the opposing belligekv
ents. .-r & 3 81 81 !; y, 3. .ss s.
President Wilson today made this
fact plain to callers. He expressed
the opinion that discussion of the
situation and conditions prevailing
between the rival forces must be ir-
ritating to them, and calculatsd -
indicate desire for meddlinp. For
that reason he thought fhat nothin9
officially should be said tQn the subs
ject. He made it clear nat the Ger
man peace proposal was transmitted
without comment or proffer of good
offices simply because such action.
might be construed in some quarters
as officious. issS' :
Await Word from Page. 81
Secretary Lansing announced at
the close of the days work that nd
advices had been received from AM
bassador Page at London informii,sy
the state department. that the peace
proposal had been delivered to the
British foreign Office and forwardSdI
to other interested nations. UnoficiaI
information was to the effect that the
note had reached Ambassador Page
and been delivered according to in4
structions. 1t was strongly hoped that
the proposals would reach EnglisH
statesmen in time for study and anS1yk
sis before the premier David IIoyaI
George, delivered, his address to pal
Lament, presumably tomorrow.
Teutonic circles were busy todsS
discussing the possibility that tfS
Dutch government may find an on
portunity in the immediate future to
invite the warning nations to- attend
mediation conference at The Hague.
The opinion was expressed that IL
Holland or any other nation not ii
the war should issue an invitation ~
this character, all other neutrals, and
especially those adjacent to the zorie
of strife, promptly would approve it. !
Allied Propaganda.
Although the German 'propa2
ganda" is seid to have been unusu-
ally active in placing the Teutonie
view Of the peace proposal beforek<l&
American people and thosak of ON
countries, that Of the allies has BEEN
easily discernible. It is self-evident
that both sides are striving to cap
ture public sentiment to the utmost
degree. Such efforts are extended to
all neutral countries. This is mani
fest in dispatches from Entente CAPT.
tails and those of the central powers.
One of the latest examples of the
allied propaganda" is noticed in the
suggestion that President Wilson and
his advisers omitted all comment or
suggestion in transmitting the peace
proposal to the allies because they
did not regard it as deserving of
much consideration.
This view is contradicted by every
statement made by high Administra-
ton officials since Chancellor Won
Bethmann-Hollweg announced the
peace proposal. 1t was pointed out
| today, in this connection, that the
president followed the only consistent
course possible in the circumstances.
The pursuance of any other method
would have made the United States
appear ridiculous and might have
preJudiced any future efforts.
BalfOur's Vacation.
In German Embassy circles there
was evidenced feeling of relief over
the unofficial report from London
that the formal peace offer had been
handed to Lord Robert Cecil, acting
| for Foreign Secretary Balfour. The
statement that Mr.. Balfour had he.
gun three weeks vacation naturally
provoked discussion. Strong hints
were given in diplomatic quarters that
possibly he may have gone to the
continent for conferences with Pre-
mier BRAND and other allied officials
concerning the course to be followed
by the entente.
Those responsible for the Teutonic
viewpoint expressed the conviction
today, as heretofore, that the allies
will not abruptly reject the peace
proposal. They confidently believe it
W. -""aive earnest consideration and
that some reply will be made con-
sistent with the momentous nature of
the communication.
A high authority in close touch with
the viewpoint of the Teutonic powers
feels absolutely convinced that proper
guarantees can be given in a confer
ence for the arrangement of peace
for the opening of the Dardanelles and
the Bosporous to the commerce of the
world after the consummation of a
real and lasting peace between the
warning nations of Europe.
This, it is argued, can be accom-
plished without the loss of an addi
tional allied soldier, or the expendi-