The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-12-26
REPLY
NOT EXPECTED
British Press UnfrlendIy to
Wilson's Note.
THINK MOVE HELPS GERMANY

Comment Of Papers In Both Ger.
many and England Read Witr
Deep Interest by Members Of cabi.
net-5oth Of Secretary Lansins's
Statements cabled to American
Diplomats Abroad.
Washington, Dec 23.-Whlle moth
ing official came from Europe to show
when the belligerents will reply to
President Wilson's note urging dis.
cussion of peace, or what the nature
Of the responses might be. the Lon.
don news dispatches. indicating that
an early reply was unlikely because
Of the necessity Of consultation be.
tween the allies, agreed with the view
prevalent here
Apparently the administration. hav.
ing dispatched the note. and. in the
interest of caution, having taken
steps to gee that no misconstruction
abroad was placed on the presidents
purposes, now is carefully watching
the expressions of opinion. particular
ly in the British press. AS the at.
tttude of the Teutonic allies had been
clearly foreshadowed in advance and
the president in the note specifically
disclaimed any association with that
attitude. the interest of American Of
ficials centered on the reception of
the note in the entente countries and
among the European neutrals.
II was recalled, as the London dis
patches, most of them hostile, arrived
that similar expressions greeted tie
original proposals Of the central al
lies, but that the views were moderat-
ed in the British press and among the
entente diplomats here after refiec-
ton and discussion.
To preclude any possibility OF mis-
construction Of the presidents pur.
pose from the furry caused by Sec
retary Lansing's two statements. both
statements were cabled to American
diplomats abroad in neutral as well
as belhgerent countries, so that they
might be prepared correctly to state
the presidents attitude to the govern
ments to which they are accredited.
They are intended to offer official evi.
dence, if it be needed that the presi.
dents note is exactly what 1t pur-
ports to be on its face
Reply 10 Entente Powers.
The suggestion from London that
the manner of replying to the presi
dents note will differ from the form
of replies to proposals of the German
allies, corresponded with official ex.
pectations. 1t is thought here that
the entente allies might not make ex-
tended answer TO the proposals OF the
central powers but would deal with
the whole peace subject in their re-
sponse to the United States
The German view here is that what
ever the reply of the entente allies,
the relations between Germany and
the United States will nave been i'm
measurably improved. probably to the
point of assuring careful steps by the
Berlin government to avoid any such
conditions as led up 10 a crisis. which
threatened break in diplomatic rela-
tions. That view is that the advan-
tage of comfy with the greatest Of
neutrals will be so forcibly impressed
upon the people of tie central en-.
pires that il will not again be endan-
gered
Entonte diplomats. while they ap-
parently had decided to accept the
presidents attitude in good faith, had
not wholly disposed Of their fear that
II might rebound to the advantage Of
their enemies.
Press comment, IN both England
and Germany, was read with the
deepest interest by members Of the
cabinet. Spokesman for the admins
tration thought that the unfavorabie
impression made at first In England
would be changed when the note was
examined carefully.
1t became known that some MEM
bers of the diplomatic corps are wcr-
ried over their personal status with
their home governments, whom they
have been informing for weeks past
that the United States would take no
action in the European situation.