The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-24
WILSON WANTS TO KNOW WHAT
 NATIONS MEAN
This Is Explained in Washington As the Real Pur- pose of Notes Already Dispatched No Ad- vance Information Is Needed or Wanted
 by the Washington Government

It is the administration view that the country can be committed to an abandon ment of the policy of isolation, much as President Monroe committed it to the Monroe doctrine, without Senate action. In the plans so far contemplated, how ever, it is probable the nations would be bound by treaty agreements which would necessarily have to be ratified by the Sem ate, so far as the United States Is con- cerned.
 A fuller understanding of the embar- by the coincidence of it's note with the German proposals, was given today when it was said that, despite the early un- favorable effect which the note was ex- pected to have on the allied countries through that fact, it was decided to risk it in view of the greater interests in- volved. It is expected 1t may be some time before the American viewpoint will be accepted abroad, but it is felt that in the end it certainly will prevail. It also stated most emphatically that the note was not rushed off on Monday in order to get to Premier Lloyd-George be- fore he had irrevocably committed the allies against peace in his speech to Par liament Tuesday. That assumption was foreseen, but officials expect it to lose weight and importance as the first im- pressions wear off.
 RESENTMENT EXPECTED
 The early resentment in London and Paris on the assumption that the Presi- dents note declared both belligerents were fighting for the same object is re- garded as unwarranted at the state de- partment, where today it was said great pains had been taken to avoid that very inference.
 Stress was laid on the Presidents words to show that he had not expressed any conviction that both sets of belligerents were fighting for the same objects On the other hand, the language of the note, 1t was pointed out, specifically said the statesmen of both groups of belligerents had so stated their objects in general terms to the people of their own coun- tries. Officials were gratified to see this view being pointed out in some of the later foreign comment today.
 The phrase was written, it was said after study of the more recent statements of the belligerents rather than the state- ments at the time they entered the war. Then the avowed objects of all the na- tions were more specific, Italy, for in- stance coming into the war with an offi- cial statement of what she felt neces- sary for her future. Since then, however, on all sides, 1t is felt a constantly in- creasing vagueness has been growing up which now is expanding into the most nebulous terms.
 General hostility to the note, at first, both in allied and Teutonic countries, as conveyd in news dispatches, was regard ed by officials as one of the most hopeful signs as it indicated that the note was neutral. Especially was the hostility in some of the German papers pleasing. as it was thought that when the allies real ized that the plan was not so welcome to their enemies they would give to it more earnest and more impartial consid- eration.
 The possibility of an early reply is dis counted here. The central powers have indicated that they will not risk laying down their peace terms until they have had reply to their own proposals from the entente. While the reply now is fin- ished, it will take a week to distribute it to the various powers. The entente, having both that reply and the Presi- dents note to consider, and consisting of 10 different nations, all with different in- terests, is expected to require consider able time to get it's views into shape for transmission. The allies reply to the central powers will not be made public here