El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-12-21

splendid isolation" which Washing
ten bequeathed to the country.
Not Committed TO Peace League.
Significance is attached TO the fact
that the president uses the word in
sure" rather than enforce" peace as
Indicating that he has not committed
himself TO any one program for 4
League of nations to accomplish THAI
end but that he is open to whatever
suggestion may seem best to the other
! world nations. Several months ago
president Wilson spoke most earnestly
. before the League to Enforce Peace
Of his hope that the United States
would join in some new international
arrangements but not until now is he
known TO have made the proposal Of
icially TO the nations of the world
1t IS thought mere that along these
lines president Wilson's note VIII FIND
! ITS most ready reception abroad, for
: al! parties have indicated their belief
;hat the war will have been in vain
its repetition.
! Deepest interest conferred TODAY in
, the probable time and form the belIi-
Gerents reply. II is assumed the mem
: oeTs OF each group Of allies VIII con-
sun one another and agree on = uni
FORM statement of views but whether
! that statement will be joint. fdentical
or different in each case is not known.
Us y Is tnought that some time may
e-apse before the different groups can
{ settle down to an actual agreement on
terms To be discussed, in case IL is de-
S.ded 10 need the presidents request
uy gong INTO them fully
Text OF the PROPOSAL
The notes to the belIigerenfs sra
preIaced with this instruction By sec
letarE Lansing to the American am
Ddssadors presenting them:
The president directs me to send
you the following communication 10
be presented Immediately to the min
lster OF foreign affairs of the govern
Ahs s 10 which they are accredited
The texts Of the notes themselves
then begin, as follows:
Ihe president # the United States
mas instructed me to suggest to the
mere inserted 4 designation OF the
government addresSed) a course of
acuon with regard TO the present war
Whlch he hopes the government will
take under consideration as suggested
III me most friendly spirit and as
coming not only from friend but also
rom the representative of neutral
nation whose interests have been most
seriously affected by the war and
whose concern for its early conclusion
arises out Of manifest necessity TO
determine now best TO safeguard those
interests II the war is TO continue"
Here Comes q Variance.
cat this point the context varies. In
the note to the central powers. this
paragraph follows nextl:
The suggestion which / am in
structed 10 make, the president has
what embarrassed TO offer il at this
particular time beca il NAV seem
now 10 have been prompted by a de-
sire to play 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 il until those overtures had
Deen Independently answered, but fOr
the fact that II also concerns the Ques-
ton Of peace and may best be con
sidered in connection with other pro-
posals which have the same end in
view The president can only beg that
his suggestion be considered entirely
on its merits. and as il il had been
made in other circumstances"
Independent of German Offer.
In the note to the entente allies. the
following paragraph takes the place
OF the one just quoted:
THE suggestion which 7 am in
structed to make. the president has
somewhat embarrassed to offer il at
this particular time because il may
seem to have been prompted by the
central powers. II is no way asso-
the president would have delayed Of
fering il until those Overtures had
been answered but for the fact that
il also concerns the question Of peace
and may best be considered in con-
nection with other proposals which
have the same end in view The presi-
dent can only beg that his suggestion
be considered entirely on its own
merits and as if il had been made ia
other circumstances"
Wants Expression of Views.
Then all the notes proceed identically
as follows:
THE president suggests that an
early occasion be sought L. 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 he concluded and the arrange
ments which would he deemed salts
factory as a guaranty against its re-
newal or the kindling Of any similar
conflict in the future as would make
il possible frankly to compare them
He is Indifferent as to the means
taken TO accomplish this He would
be happy himself to serve, or even TO
take the initiative liz its accomplish
ment in any way that might prove ac-
but he has no desire TO
determine the method or the instru- I
mentality one way VIII De as accept
able TO him as another, II only the
great object he has in mind be at [
tained-
BeIIigerents Have Same object.
He takes the liberty Of calling at 7
tention to the fact that the objects
which the belligerents or both sides |
have in mind in this war are virtually 4
the same. as stated III general terms
to their own people ana 20 the WORM I
WOuId Protect Small States.
Fab side desires TO make the :
rights and privileges Of weak peoples /
and small states as secure against az
erosion or denial in the future as :
the rights and privileges OF the great
and powerful states now at war Eacn
wishes itself to he made secure IN the
future along with all other nations
and peoples. against the recurrence OF
wars like this and against aggression
IF selfish interference OF any kind
Each would be jealous Of the forma-
ion of any more rival leagues to pre-
serve an uncertain balance OF power !
amidst multiplying suspicious: out
each is ready to consider the forma-
ion Of a league of nations to insure
peace and justice throughout the
world. Before that final step can be