The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-12-21
That is the Real Reason fort
President Wilson'S Notes TO /
the Beiligerent Nations.
REASONS ARE MADE PUBLIC
United States Wants to Know
Exactly What Each Ma
ton is Seeking.

tBr HssocIATEo FHIssl
WASHINGTON. Dec, 21.-The
danger of the United States itself be-
ing drawn into the war by reason Of
Its increasingly critical position as a
neutral was one of the moving con
siderations in President Wilson's de-
spatch of notes to all the belligerents,
urging them to discuss terms of
peace.
Secretary Lansing Thursday au-
thorized the statement that the ma
terial right Of the United States had
not been the paramount considera-
ton. Americas rights, he said. were
being more and more involved by
the belligerents and as the United
States was drawing nearer the verge
of war" it was entitled to know ex-
actly what each belligerent seeks Sin
order that we may regulate our con-
duct in the future"
Secretary Lansing's statement. up
on which the White House refused
to comment was as follows:
'The reasons for sending the notes
were as follows:
ut isn't our material interest we
had in mind when the note was sent,
but more and more our own rights
of becoming involved by the belliger-
ton is becoming increasingly critical.
Il mean by that that we are draw
ing nearer the verge of war our
selves, and therefore we are entitled
to know exactly what each belliger-
cnt seeks in order that we may reg
uIate our conduct in the future.
mo nation has been sounded. No
consideration of the German over
lures or of the speech of Lloyd
George was taken into account in the
formulation OF the document. The
only thing the overtures did was to
delay it a few days. 1t was not de-
cided to send it until Monday. OF
course, the difficulties that faced the
president were that it might be con
strued as movement towards peace
and in aid of the German oyertures.
He Specifically denies that that was
the fact in the document itself"
at the White House no effort was
made to lessen the importance of Sec
rotary Iansing's statement Prest-
dent Wilson would make no comment
President Wilson himself on several
occasions has pointed out the danger
of the United States becoming In
volved in the war. Because of viola
tions Of American rights he has felt
that the United States had a very
difficult role to fill.
Last February while touring the
middle West in favor of preparedness
AMI again during the last campaign,
the president touched on that feature
In speech at Pittsburg last January
he said:
when you know that there arc com
bustible materials in the life of the
world and in.-your own national Inc
and that the sky is full of floating
&C.
you going to sit down and say il will be
time when the freis out to begin to do
something? / do not believe that the
fire is going to begin, but I would be
sure of it if we were ready for the
fire"
Again at Cleveland, o., the presi-
dent declared:
'tTwo-thirds fthe world are at
war. 1t is not mercy an European
struggle; nations in the Orient have
become involved as nations in the
West, and everywhere there seems to
be creeping upon the nations olsen
gagged the spirit and the threat Of
war. All the world aside from Amer
lea Is on fire."
In one Of his campaign speeches
the president declared that the pres
ent was the last great war in which
the United States could remain neu-
lIdls ne sSd1us on Iudt lOGCsiSlOn aInd1
the interests OF the world were so
drawn together that it was difficult
for anyone of the nations TO remain
neutral when the others We're at war.
Secretary Lansing further said
The sending Of this note will in
dictate the possibility of our being
forced into theiwar. That possibility
ought to serve as restraining and sob
ering force safeguarding American
rights. 1t may also serve to fosce
an earlier conclusion Of the war.
Neither the president nor myself re-
gard this note as peace note; it is
merely an effort to get the bclliEer-
ents to define the ends for which
they are lighting"
Shortly after 2 o'clock this after
noon President Wilson sent for Sec
rotary Lansing, and the head of the
state department went to the White
House for q conference.