Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-07
PRESIDENT IS NOT
PLUVGING INTO WAR;
CASE NOT HOPELESS
Concessions viii Be Made by
Germany and Agreement
Reached Belief - Georgia
Senators Now With Wilson
By RALPH SMITH.

WASHINGTON. l.. &. March 5.-Fron
p source which / consider entirely de
pendable. 7 nave information tonign
that iustifies the statement that both of
the Georgia senator's will. in all proba-
tiIity. line up squareIy with President
Wilson in his diplomatic negotiations
" TIN Germany respecting the use Of sub
marines. The information is of a char
acter, 80 trustworthy i'm its origin, that
it * believed. moreover. that most Of the
opposition i'm congress to the president
policy will he dissipated when the facts
ere understood as they come to- me.
The information corroborates Senator
I~trn's statement that President Wilson
has "a passion for peace" and makes il
entirely clear that the president has
never contemplated playing lone hand
i'm his diplomatic negotiations, il he
should reach an impasse with the Ger
man government. 1t has ever been, as
IL is now. his purpose TO advise with
congress before breaking off diplomatic
negotiations with GERMANY.
WILL INFORM CONGRESS.
n the negotiations result so unsat-
isfaCtory that drastic action seems adj
visabIe, the president will so inform
congress before taking a step that might
involve the United States in the Euro
pean war.
Ii may be stated that thus far the
negotiations with Germany have pro-
ceeded as satisfactory and as speedily
as might be expected, all the circum-
stances considered, and up to the pres
ent time there has been nothing to JUS
tify the belief that the situation was
hopeless.
With the situation clarified as the re-
cent developments are expected to clar-
ify il. there is every reason to believe
that concessions will. in time. be made
by the German government, and an
agreement reached.
The unfortunate agitation in congress
originated with and proceeded upon a
decentralization as to the real situation
respecting the negotiations and the ulti-
mate purpose of the president. The Inn
portance of the information outlined
above carries its own significance.
NOT PLCNGING INTO WAR
II exDIodes completely the apprehen-
sion that the president was plunSlng
headIong into war" and carries with II
the assurance that the executive, though
insisting upon the exercise of his pre-
rogative to carry on Americas diplo-
matte negotiations unhindered by con-
gressionaI interference, intends, and has
ever intended. advising with congress in
the event he reaches an impasse and a
breach Of diplomatic negotiations seems
inevitable.
The position of the president. it may
be stated. is in entire agreement with
the views Of many senators and repre-
sentatives who were alarmed by reports
and rumOrs that had the color of truth,
but which were, in fact unfOunded, and
worked a grave injustice to the presi-
dent and unnecessarily excited the ma
ton.
Both of the Georgia senators believe
that the sinking of an English armed
merchantmen. under the circumstances
with which Great Britain has surround
ed them. would be no occasion for war,
but they expect also that an issue upon
this subject will be avoided.