Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-12-22
Text of Wilson's
Note to Warning
European Rulers

: the American ambassador presenting
Them: "The President directs me to
send you the following communication
to be presented Immediately to the
minister of foreign affairs of the gov
eminent to which you are accredited"
The texts of the notes themselves
begin identically as follows:
Suggests Course Of Action.
"The President of the United States
has instructed me to suggest to the
there is inserted designation of the
government addressed) course of &C.
ton with regard to the present war
which he hopes that the government
will take under consideration as sug-
gested in the most friendly spirit and
as coming not only from friend but
also as coming from the representative
of a neutral ration whose interests
have been most seriously affected by
the war and whose concern for its
early conclusion arises out of a mani
fest necessity to determine how best
to safeguard those interests If the
war is to continue"
NOte8 10 IentTdl PO"eT3s
At this point the texts vary. In
the notes to the Central Powers this
paragraph follows next:
THE suggestion which am instruct
ed to make the President has long
had it in mind to offer. He is some
what embarrassed to offer it at this
particular time because it may now
seem to have been prompted by de-
sire to play a part in connection with
the recent overtures Of the Central
Powers. It has, in fact, been in no
way suggested by them in its origin
and the President would have delayed
Offering it until those overtures had
been independently answered but for
the fact that it also concerns the
question of peace and may best be
considered in connection with other
proposals which have the same end in
view. The President can only beg
that his suggestion be considered en-
tirely on it's own merits, and as if it
had been made in other circum-
stances"
Paragraph TOR AIIIeS OnJy.
In the note to the Allies the follow
ing paragraph takes the place of the
one just quoted:
"The suggestion which am instruct
ed to make the President has long had
it in mind to offer. He is somewhat
embarrassed to offer it at this partic-
ular time because it may now seem to
have been prompted by the recent
overtures of the Central Powers. 1t
is, in fact, in no way associated with
them in it's origin and the President
would have delayed Offering it until
those overtures had been answered
but for the fact that it also concerns
the question Of peace and may best
be considered in connection with other
proposals which have the same end
in view. The President can only beg
that his suggestion be considered en-
tirely on it's merits and as if It had
been made in other circumstances.
Asks All Nations for Views.
Then all the notes proceed identi-
cally as follows:
"The President suggests that an
early occasion be sought to call out
from all the nations now at war such
an avowal of their respective views as
to the terms upon which the war might
be concluded and the arrangements
which might be deemed satisfactory
as a guarantee against it's renewal or
the kindliug of any similar conflict in
the future as would make it possible
frankly to compare them. He is in
different as to the means taken to &C.
complish this. He would be happy
himself to serve, or even to take the
initiative in it's accomplishments in
any ways that might prove acceptable,
but he has no desire to determine the
method or the fundamentally. One
way will be as acceptable to him as
another if only the great object he
has in mind be attained.
Objects are Virtually the Same.
"He takes the liberty of calling at.
tention to the fact that the objects
which the statemen of the belligerents
on both sides have in mind in this
war are virtually the same as stated
in general terms to their own people
and to the world. Each side desires
to make the rights and privileges
of weak peoples and small states as
secure against aggression or denial
in the future as the rights and privi-
\ leges Of the great and powerful states
now at war.
Each wishes itself to be made Sc
cure in the future along with all other
nations and peoples, against the re-
currence of wars like this and against
aggression of selfish interference of
any kind. Each would be jealous of
the formation Of any more rival
leagues to preserve an uncertain bal.
ance of power amidst multiplying sus.
picions, but each is ready to consider
the formation of a league Of nations
to insure peace and justice throughout
the world.
Before the final step can be taken,
however, each deems it necessary first