The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-12-27

u " .
to visit the department for personal
word with the secretary and to ask
for himself whether there was any
thing to be learned that had not been
covered in the public announcement,
The German, British, Japanese,
italian and Brazilian ambassadors
were among the first to call. They
were quickly followed by ministers
and charges and for the first time
since the outbreak of the war eddie"
Savoy, the secretary's confidential
messenger, was found to open three
reception rooms, one for each of the
belligerents and one for the neutrals
Sue even then there was near col
lision as just when Count Won Bern
storff was being ushered from his
conference with Mr.. Lansing he came
| face to face with Sir Cecil SPRING
Rice, the British ambassador. AL
though before the war they had been
very close personal friends, neither
evinced the slightest knowledge of
who the other was, although the Ger
man ambassador said "it was too
dark in the corridor" to Sc anyone.
Entente Surprised.
Each of the visiting diplomats was
given an official copy of the presi-
dents note, although all were fami-
liar with the contents. They also
were told by Mr.. Lansing that copies
already had been sent to their home
governments. The entente represen-
tative admitted that they had been
greatly surprised by the action of the
United States. They had had no
warning that the president had any
such course under consideration and
declined to venture a guess as to
the reception the proposition would
get when it reached their home gov
ernments.
Count Won Bernstorff maintained
his optimistic attitude. He reiterated
his belief that this action would re-
suit in a peace conference of the
belligerents within reasonable time.
He insisted that the note of the Unit
ed States is bound to have great
weight backed as it will be by the in
! f1uence of the neutrals.
The neutral diplomatic representa-
tives refused to make an ystatements
for publication pending word from
their home governments. They said
they had no doubt that their govern
ments would endorse in every way
the statements of President Wilson.
This was especially so of the repre-
sentatives of the "buffer" nations
Switzerland, Denmark, Norway and
Sweden and Hallond. At the latter
legation it was said there was no
doubt that the people of Holland
would aplaud the action of the United
States and support it in every way.
Senor Riano, the Spanish ambassa-
dor, said that he felt "every optimis-
tic" over the outlook for a restora-
tion of peace. The position of the
European neutral representatives,
Judging from their puarded conversa-
ton, which distinctly was not for
publication, was that they felt that
the president had squarely put up to
he belligerents the honesty of their
professions that they were fighting
to safeguard humanity and for their
own existence. If this were so, then
these diplomats said, the enemies
must consent to peace conference.
Reference to the possible concert of
nations was said to be a splendid
strategic stroke by the president. 1t
was felt that the majority of the
bclligerents favored such plan and
that they might see an advantage in
agreeing to it.
The vatican is expected to cooper
ate with the president if given the
opportunity. Speaking for Mgr.
Bonzano, the papal envoy, Father
Burrage, his secretary, said:
"President Wilson has taken good
step. We devoutly hope that it will
be fruitful in inspiring such further
expressions from the bclligcrcnts as
will open the way for peace. The
riS"i"eh|o COMMUNICATION SnOulQ De
instrumental in securing from the
billigerents such further expressions
as will open the way for peace"
The presidents action was the sub
jcct Of much comment at the capitol.
Most of the senators and representa-
tives applaudcd the action, but sew
cral OF them expressed the fear that
the motive would be misconstrued be-
cause of the fact that the allies have
iuSt nrnnt in q LIZ 70 innt ,L liz a..a..l,.,.<.