The Washington herald., 1916-12-22


that the joint reply OF the allies 70
tie Teutonic peace suggestions would oe
completed before any action was taken
en- the Wilson note in view of the Presi-
dents emphatic disavowal of any con-
nection between the. two propositions. 1t
this is so 1t may be a week or ten days
before any reply Is received from the
,Cntentc.
Washington was a city of wild rumors
throughout yesterday. Following the is
suance of a statement by Secretary of
State Lansing in which he made it PLAIN
that the growing encroachment on the
rights OF the United tates by all Of
the helhgerents was bringing the United
States closer and closer to forced par
ticipation in the war and that the Presi-
dents note vas virtually in the nature
of self defense report was industri-
ously circulated by persons close to the
entente embassies and a very few cor
respondents that the Lansing statement
was in effect 4 yelled threat to Ger
many.
Results In Conference.
This report gained in strength and It
was spread to such an extent that it
caused real annoyance both at the White
House and the State Department. Mr..
Lansing finally conferred with the Presi-
dent and issued a statement in which he
made 1t emphatically plain that he had
never intended to be understood as in
dicating any change in policy or
neutrality by the United States. What
he had done, he said, was to show the
very direct and necessary interest the
| United States had in the possible terms
which the belligerents may have in mind.
Because of the issuance of the two
statements, reports were set on foot OF
| friction between the President and his
chief advisor. These were declared by
everyone in a position to know the
facts to be absolutely unwarranted. Mr..
Lansing. it was explained, not only was
in complete accord with the President ir'
the drafting and sending of the note. but
he personally suggested certain changes
in the original draft which materially
strengthened 1t.
The original statement, as issued by
Secretary Lansing. was as follows:
First Lansing Statement.
1T was not so much our material in
| terests that we considered when the note
was prepared and sent but the fact that
more and more our rights have oeen
infringed and involved by the oelligerents
on both sides. The situation had become
intolerable to such an extent that 1t was
becoming lnCTedSlHBly Sl1liSal" AAASo%''
| by that that we are drawing nearer the
verge Of the war ourselves and we are
therefore entitled to know exactly what
| each beIligerent seeks in order that we
can regulate our conduct in the future.
mo warning nation had previously
| been sounded by President Wilson in
preparing this note. There was neither
consideration OF the German overtures
| or the speech OF Premier Lloyd George in
| ha In ~ fha Communication.
The only thing that the German over
lures did was to force the Withholding of
| the communication for a few days al
though the President did not definitely
| and finally make UP his mind to send 1t
forward until last Monday.
'+Of course one difiiculty that faced the
President was the fact that the note
might be construed as q movement for
peace and on the side of the German
overtures. To prevent this he specifically
! disavowed this in the communication
| itself.
Sending OF this note Will indicate that
| we realize the possibility Of our being
I forced into the war. Neither the Presi-
dent nor myself regards this note as a
peace note: 1t simply is an effort to get
the belhgerents to define tho aims for
which they are fighting.
Might Be Forced Into War.
The Secretary was asked whether he
believed that the sending of the note
will make for a speedier ending OF
the war. He said:
TT is possible that it may not, but
1t will indicate that there is a possi-
bility of our being forced into the wal
and If this government were forced
| into the war on one side or the other
1t would prove a potent factor toward
ending the war. This possibility ought
to serve as a restraining and SOLDERING
force and safeguard American inter
ests."
Following his conference with Pres
ident Wilson the Secretary then issued
the following additional statement:
II have learned from several quar-
ters that a wrong impression was made
by the statement that / made this
morning and wish to correct this
impression. Ny intention was to sug-
gest the very direct and necessary in
| terest which this country. as one OF
! the neutral nations, has in the possi-
BILE terms which the belligerents may
have in mind, and l did not intend to
intimate that the government was con-
sidering any change in its policy OF
neutrality which it has consistently
pursued in the face of constantly in
creasing difficulties. 1 regret that my
words were open to any other con-
struction as I now realize they were
think that the whole tone and Ian
guage of the notes to the belligerents
show the purpose without further
comment on my part. 1t is needless to
/ say that l am unreservedly in support
of that purpose and hope to see II
accomplished"