The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-12-27
AWAIT WORD FROM EUROPE.
NO IMMEDIATE MOVE ON Will.
SONS PEACE NOTE EX.
PECTED.

Teutonic Alliance Expected to We'll
como Presidents Move as Step To-
wards Peace, but Action of Entente
Is Uncertain.
Washington. Dec. 22.-While moth
ing official came from Europe today
to show when the belligerents will re-
ply to President Wilson's note urging
discussion Of peace, or what the ma
ture Of the response might be. the
London news dispatches indicating
that an early reply was unlikely be-
cause Of the necessity Of consultation
between the allies agreed with the
view prevailing here.
Apparently the administration, hav-
ing dispatched the note and In tho in
terst OF caution having taken steps
to see that no mlsconstruction abroad
was placed on the presidents pur-
pose. now Is carefully watching the
expressions Of opinion. particularly in
the British press. As the attitude of
the Teutonic allies had been clearly
foreshadowed in advance. and the
president In the note specifically dis
claimed any association with that at
titude, the interest of American Of
ficials centred on the reception of the
note in the entente countries and
among the European neutrals. 1t was
recalled. as the London dispatches.
most Of them hostile. arrived that
similar expressions greeted the origi-
nal proposals OF the central allies, but
that the views were moderated in the
British press and among the entente
diplomats here after reflection and
discussion.
To preclude any possibility Of mi,
construction of the presidents pur-
poses from the furry of yesterday,
caused by Secretary Lansing's two
statements. both statements were
cabled today to American diplomats
abroad In neutral as we'll as belliger-
emit countries. 30 they might be pre-
pared correctly to state the presidents
attitude to the governments to which
they are accredited.
They are intended to offer Official
evidence, II 1t be needed. that the
presidents note is exactly what it
purports to be on it's face.
The suggestion from London that
the manner OF replying to the presi-
dents note will differ from the form
Of replies to proposals Of the German
allies correspondsd with official sx-
rsctations, II Is thought hsre that
the entente allies might not make Elk
|tsnde4 thgtse q the proposals OF the
|eol XcIlhI3t would deal with
|thS ~hois rSace Eubject in their fe.
Spouse to the United States.
The German view here is that
whatever the reply Of the entente al
lies. the relations between Germany
and the United States will have been
immeasurably improved. probably to
the point Of assuring careful steps by
the Berlin government to avoid any
such conditions as led up to a crisis
which threatened to break diplomatic
relations. That view is that the ad-
vantage Of comfy with the greatest
Of neutrals will be so forcibly i'm
pressed upon the people Of the GEN.
trail empires that II will not again be
endangered.
Entente diplomats. while they ap-
parently had decided to accept the
presidents attitude in good faith. had
not wholly disposed Of their fear that
II might rebound to the advantage Of
their enemies.
1t was reiterated today in all off,
cial quarters that there was perfect
understanding between Secretary
Lansing and the president and what
over might have appeared as discord
In Interpretation of the note to tho
b~elligerents had been disposed of by
the issue of the secretary's second
statement and the steps to inform the
foreign governments of the facts.
The notes to the belligerents, Sec
rotary Lansing's explanatory state
ments and recent German submarine
activities furnished the chief topic of
discussion at today's cabinet meeting.
Later 1t was said that the discussion
was directed toward no particular end
but merely brought forth the views
Of the cabinet members.
After the cabinet meeting. Secre-
tary Lansing said that full eorma-
ton concerning the sinking of the
British liner Arabia was not at hand.
The American government Is anxious
ly awaiting word from Berlin regard
ing the British horse ship Marina,
which admittedly was sunk without
warning by a German subna ripa ord