Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-12-20
President Wilson Decides Not
20 Risk His Standing BY
Making Advance Com
ment on Subject.
HEARING SEEMS ASSURED
Belief Prevails In Washington
That Entente Will Hear Teu-
tonic Terms Before Turn
ing Them Down.

Washington, ID. c.. Dec. 1S.=The
regardless Of any action by President
Wilson, the entente will not fatty re-
ject the German peace proposal, but
will at least indicate it is willing to
talk peace O certain terms.
Furthermore. cables from Berlin
saying Germany is prepared to offer
liberal terms, ugses the Idea that the
central powers are really DESTROYS of
a peace parley.
The embassy has given II
out informally that Germany will not
reject a proposition from the entente
this, it is inferred, Germany realizes
she must be prepared to back up her
pledges by stronger guarantee than
words.
Meets Laws Demands.
This is a most important factor in
tbs situation. 1t has to be considered
in connection with the demand OF
Bonar Law for guarantees for the flu
ture.
While there is wide division Of opin-
ion here as TO whether anything will
come of the German peace proposal.
he belief is growing that the pea
leaven is working in all h warning
countries. One authority said today:
"Whatever comes of this immediate
proposition 1t may be set down that
this marks the actual beginning OF
peace negotiations. i believe Europe
a entered the. road to peace, though
u is doubtless a good many months
Concession Important.
The authorized statement at the
German embassy that consideration OF
at least partial disarmament would be
one OF the things axe up at q peace
conference attracted the widest atten-
ton among government offictals and
diplomats. 1t was accounted doubly
interesting because Germany had re-
peatedly refused such suggestions, even
to the point, 1t was said, of threatening
to withdraw from The Hague confer
ence it the subject, which had the sup
port of the United States. England,
France and Russia. were pressed.
To Make No Comment.
The White House this morning was
without further information on the
eac situation. The presidents atti-
tude is that the United States should
send the notes without comment, but
should hold itself in readiness to say
or do anything which seems feasible
in the light OF developments. One au-
thority summed up the case today by
saying:
w don't want to say anything that
will bring ns a slap in the face. W.
are simply going to wait until we learn
whether we Will get slapped IL we urge
a peace conference or express a wish
for a peace parley in any way"
Bernstcrff Secs Lansing.
Count Won Bernstorff. the German
ambassador conferred with Secretary
Lansing today. seeking information Of
the attitude Of the United States to-
ward the peace proposals of h CEN
trail powers to discuss the general sub
ject of peace from this governments
viewpoint and to give any information
Mr.. Lansing might desire on the atti-
tude of the German government. AM
bassador Bernstorff after q, 10-minute
visit with Secretary Lansing, said:
w did not discuss peace terms in
NAL terms and the American govern
ment knows officially that no formal
terms have been proposed. All Ger
many has suggested is that the bellig-
erents get together and talk. II that
proposal ia accepted definite terms
naturally Will be discussed, but till then
it will not be proper to mention them.
My visit to the secretary was purely
for discussion
Nc Comment on Policy.
The ambassador indicated that the
actual place for the holding Of q con-
should be by direct negotiations or
through Intermediates were questions
entirely dependent on the willingness
ut the entente allies to discuss the sit
uation at all. He indicated also that
he had not discussed the American ac-
ton in sending on. the Teutonic notes
without comment, as that was purely
a matter fOrsthis country to decide for
itself.
Secretary Lansing said early his
morning the peace notes probably
would go forward before night. One
uniform American TRANSLATION will he
sent to all the governments where the
United States represents the central
allies and the original texts will be
forwarded later, probably by mail.
FAIL TO AGREE.
ll.-.l:.n4np- Dan 1E-Tb~ SANTA