The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-12-28
PEACE MOVEMENT IS MADE
SENDS NOTE TO BELLIGERENTS
TO OUTLINE VIEWS.
President Does Not Propose Peace or
Offer Mediation, But Suggests That
Warning Nations Discuss Terms.

wilson mas Appeared 10 oil lue ue1-
ligerents to discuss terms of peace.
Without actually proposing peace
or Offering mediation, the president
has sent formal notes to the govern
ments of all the warning nations sug-
gesting that IAN early occasion be
sought to call out from the nations
now at war such an avowal of their
respective views as to the terms up
on which the war night be concluded
and the arrangements which would
be deemed satisfactory as guaranty
against it's renewal or the kindling
of any similar conflict in the future,
as would make it possible frankly to
compare them"
Wholly without notice and entire
ly contrary to what administration
officials have described as his course,
the president last night despatched
notes to all the belligerents, and to
all the neutrals for their informa-
ton. Summarized in the presidents
own words as contained in the notes
his attitude is as follows:
Not Proposing Peace.
"The president is not proposing
peace; he is not even offering media
ton. He is merely proposing that
soundings be taken in order that we
may learn, the neutral nations with
the belligerent, how near the haven
of peace may be for which all man
kind longs with an intense and in
creasing longing. He believes that
the spirit in which he speaks and the
objects which he seeks will be un-
derstood by all concerned, and he
confidently hopes for a response
which will bring a new light into the
affairs of the world
The notes to the belligerents are
prefaced with the instruction by Sec
retary Lansing to the American am
bassadors presenting them:
"The president directs to send
you the following communication to
be presented Immediately to the min
lister of foreign affairs of the govern
ment to which you are accredited"
The text of the notes themselves
then begin identica1ly as follows:
"The president of the United
States has instructed me to suggest
to the (here is inserted designation
of the government addressed) a
course of action with regard to the
present war which he hopes that the
government will take under consider
alton as suggested in the most
friendly spirit as coming not only
from a friend, but also as coming
from the representative of a neutral
nation whose interests have been
most seriously affected by the war
and whose concern for it's early con-
clusion arises out of a manifest ne
cessity to determine how best to
safeguard those interests if the war
is to continue
At this point the texts vary.
In the notes to the central powers
this paragraph follows next;
To the Central Powers.
"The suggestion which I am in
structed to make the president has
long had it in mind to offer. He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer it at
this particular time because it may
now seem to have been prompted by
a desire to play part in connection
with the recent overtures of the cen
trail powers. 1t has in fact been in
no way suggested by them in it's
origin and the president would have
delayed offering it until those over
lures had been Independently an
swered, but for the fact that it also
concerns the question Of peace and
may best be considered in connection
with other proposals which would
have the same end in view. The
president can only beg that his sug-
gestion be considered entirely on it's
own merits and as if it had been
made in other circumstances.
To the Allies.
In the note to the entente allies
the following paragraph takes the
place of the one just quoted:
1.-THE suggestion which I am in
structed to make the president has
long had it in mind to offer. He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer it at
this particular 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 as
sociated with them in its origin and
the president would have delayed Of
fering it until those overtures had
heen answered but for the fact that