The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-12-29
SENDS FORMAL NOTES TO WAR
RING NATIONS WITHOUT PRO-
POSING PEACE OR OFFER
ING MEDIATION. -
BELIEVES MOTIVE WILL BE
UNDERSTOOD BY ALL RULERS
Latest Development in Rapidly Nov
ing Events Toward Discussion of
Peace Comes as Great Surprise
to officials at Washington
Want Surroundings.

Washington, Dec. %. President
Wilson has appealed to all the bellig
erents to discuss terms of peace.
Without actually proposing peace OF
offering mediation, the President has
sent formal notes to the governments
of all the warning nations suggestions
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 upon which the
war might be concluded and the ar
engagements which will be deemed sat
isfactory as guaranty against Its re-
newaI or the kindling of any similar
conflict in the future, as would make
it possible frankly to compare them"
Notes to All BeIligerents.
Wholly without notice and entirely
contrary to what administration Off
Gals have described as his course, the
President has dispatched the notes to
all the belligerents and to the neutrals
for their information. Summarized in
the Presidents own words, as contain
ed in the notes, his attitude is as fol-
lows:
THE President is not proposing
peace, he is not even offering media
tion. He is merely proposing that
soundings be taken in order that we
may learn, the neutral nations with
the belligerents, how near the haven
of peace may be for which all mankind
longs with an intense and increasing
longing. He believes that the spirit
in which he speaks and the objects
which he seeks will be understood by
all concerned and he confidently hopes
for q response which will bring new
light into the affairs of the world"
Note Is Surprise to Officials.
This latest development in the rapid
" moving world events toward a dis |
cussion of peace was not permitted to |
we're well on their way to the Ameri-
can ambassadors in the belligerent
capitals and probably already in the
hands OF some of them
1t was a most distinct surprise to all
official Washington, which had been
ed to, believe that with the formal
of the proposals of the
Central Powers the officers of the
United States would await further
moves between the belligerents them
Ielves, and that certainly In view of the
speech of Premier Lloyd George, and
he announcements in Russia, France
md Italy, further action by neutrals
would depend upon the next careful
md delicate moves Of the belligerents.
Action improves Prospects.
The whole tenor of Official opinion
throughout Washington when the Pres
dents action became known was that
UNNECESSARILY improved the pros
'ects for some sort of exchanges look
ng toward an approach to peace ne
citations between the belligerents
7ithout impairing tho position of the
United States should they finally be
nable to find a ground on which to
pproach one another.
At the White House no statement
Thatever could be obtained as to
neither any of the powers even had |
how they would receive the
ote and there was every indication
hat the same careful secrecy which
reverted anything whatever becom- !
lg known about the Presidents ac-
on until 1t had been taken, would t
around any Of the succeeding moves. {