The Elbert County tribune., 1916-12-22
President Wilson Asks Belliger-
ents to State Terms Upon
Which They Will End
the World War.
MESSAGE GOES TO ALL
Dispatched to Central Powers
and Entente Allies, Who AL
ready Have Indicated Will
lingness to Give Their
Statements.
western newspaper Union New. Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington. Dec. 21.-President
Wilson's notes to the belligerents
arc prefaced with this instruction by
Secretary Lansing to the American
ambassadors presenting them:
The President directs me to send
you the following communication to
be presented Immediately to the min
listers of foreign affairs OF the govern
ment OF which they are accredited"
The texts of the notes themselves
then begin identically as follows:
"The President of the United
States has instructed me to suggest
TO the (bere inserted designation of
the government addressed) n course of
action with regard to the present war
which we hope that the government
will take under consideration as sug-
gested in the most friendly spirit
and as coming not only from a friend
but also as coming from the repre-
interests have been most seriously af
fected by the war and whose concern
for its early conclusion arises out of
a manifest necessity to determine
how best TO safeguard those interests.
II the war is to continue"
At this point the context varies. In
the notes TO the central powers this
paragraph follows next:
THE suggestion which | am in
structed TO make, the President has
long had II in mind to offer He is
somewhat embarrassed to offer 1t at
this particular time because 1t may
now seem to have been prompted by
desire to play part in connection
with the recent overtures of the CEN
tral powers. 1t has. in fact, been in
no way suggested by them in its
origin and the President would have
delayed offering IL until those over
lures had been independently an
swered but for the fact that 1t also
concerns the question OF peace and
may best be considered in connection
with other proposals which have the
same end in view. The President can
only beg that his suggestion be con-
sidered entirely on its merits. and as
il 1t had been made in other circum-
stances'
In the note to the entente allies,
the following paragraph takes the
place of the one Just quoted:
The suggestion which l am in
structed to make. the President has
long had 1t 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. II is, In fact, in no way asso-
ciated with them in its origin and the
President would have delayed offer
ing It until these overtlres had been
answered but for the fact that It also
concerns the question of peace and
may best be considered In connection
with other proposals which have the
same end In view. The President can
only beg that his suggestion be con-
sidered entirely on its own merits
and as II it had been made in other
circumstances"
Then all the notes proceed Identical
ly as follows:
The President suggests that au
early occasion be sought to call out
from all the nations now at war such
an avowal of their respective views as
to the terms upon which the war
might be concluded and the arrange
ment which would be deemed salts
factory as guaranty against its re-
newal or the kindling of any similar
conflict in the future as would make
it possible frankly to compare them.
HE is Indifferent as to the means
taken to accomplish this. He would
be happy himself to serve, or even
to take the initiative In It's accom-
plishment in any way that might
prove acceptable, but he has no de.
sire to determine the method or the
instrumentality. One way will be as
acceptable to him as another, If only
the great object he has in mind be at
tanned.
He takes the liberty of calling at
tention to the fact that the objects
which the statesmen of the belliger-
ents on both sides have in mind in
this war are virtually the same, as
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