Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-12-29
RETRACTS
FIRST STATEMENT
WRONG CONSTRUCTION" OF THE
FIRST UTTERANcEs CAUSES
EXPLANATION.
CENSURED BY PRESIDENT
After Interview With the President
Secretary of State Lansing Sends
Out Note Denying Fear of War
Caused Proposals.

Washington. - President Wilson's
note to the belligerents, urging dis,
Cussion OF peace, has been officially in.
terpreted as not bearing any threat
that the United States might be forced
TO enter the wal because Of the con.
tinued invasion OF its rights by the
warning powers on both sides.
This Interpretation was made by
Secretary Lansing in a formal state
ment issued to overtake what was
characterized as widespread miscon-
structions placed on one made earlier
In the day saying that because of the
increasingly critical position of the
United States as a neutral 1t was en-
titled to know exactly what each bel.
ligerent seeks in order that it might
regulate its conduct for the future.
On the Verge Of War.
Secretary Lansing's final statement,
formally prepared and issued after he
had been called to the White House
for n conference with President Will
son, declared that he had not intended
to intimate that the United States was
considering any change in its policy
of neutrality and that the whole tone
and language Of the note were suffi.
cient to indicate its purpose without
further comment on his part.
Mr.. Lansing's first statement, made
orally and of which no official copy
was distributed, led to exaggerations
of its language and purpose through.
striking phrases on which the widest
speculation was based, were that the
United States was drawing nearer the
verge of war" and that the sending of
the note will indicate the possibility
of III being forced into the war; and
that neither he nor President Wilson
regarded the note "as a peace note
Secretary Lansing's first statement
was as follows:
THE reasons for the sending of the
notes were as follows:
at isn't our material interest We had
In mind when the note was sent, but
more and more u own rights are be-
coming involved by the belligerents
on both sides so that the situation Is
becoming increasingly critical.
II mean by that that we are draw
ing nearer the verge OF war ourselves,
and therefore we are entitled to know
exactly what each belligerent seeks in
order that we may regulate u con.
duct in the future.
mo nation has been sounded. No
consideration Of the German overtures
or Of the speech Of loyd-George vas
taken into account in the formation Of
the document. The only thing the ov-
ertures did was to, delay 1t a few days.
1t was not decided to send 1t until
Monday. OF course, the difficulties
that face the president were that it
might be construed as a movement to-
ward peace and in aid Of the German
overtures. He specifically denies that
was the fact in the document ITSELF
Wilson DIsapprcved Of II.
When word of what the secretary Of
state had said spread throughout the
capital II created the greatest %conster-
nation in official circles and among
the foreign diplomats, many of whom
were called at the state department
to receive their copies of the note dis.
patched to their capitals.
1t became apparent that the secre-
tary's statement was not fully approx
ed at the White House and that there
was question as to the wisdom of
making any comment that might be re-
garded as an addition to the note.
The White House was concerned lest
any word reach the foreign capitals to
be construed as indicating that the
American note was anything but what
1t indicated on Its face. So, after a
conference between President Wilson
and Secretary Lansing, the second
statement was formally prepared and
distributed at the state department.