The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-12-19
NO MEDIATION OFFERS
ACCOMPANY NOTES
MANY NOTES TO DELIVER.
President Wilson Will Hold Him.
self in Readiness to Serve
in Any Way Possible.


American government, acting as in
termediary, without any accompany
ing mediation offer of it's own. He
has not determined whether any ac-
tion in behalf Of peace will be taken
later by the United States on it's own
account, but is holding himself in
readiness to serve in any way pos
sible toward bringing the warning
nations together.
The course to be pursued was
made known tonight after the Presi-
dent had conferred with Secretary
Lansing, and after a prolonged cabi-
net meeting, it was stated that the
delay in forwarding the notes to the
Entente Capitals was due to the fact
that the messages received from Ger
many, Austria-H Hungary and Turkey.
identical in substance, differed slight
ly in phraesology as a result of diff
ferent translations. They probably
VIII put on the cable tomorrow.
Since the first note arrived. the ono
from Germany. the President and hie
closest advisers have been absorbed
In study of the situation. The Aus
train note followed. and the one from
Turkov came late today. Those from
Germany and Austria have been gone
over carefully by the President and
Secretary Lansing to mako certain OF
ftheir meaning. and so that thev NAV
re sure to represent properly the in
tent OF the Central Powers
The fact that the cabinet meeting
today lasted more than three hours
and was the most prolonged Of the
year, attracted profound attention in
official circles, and led to all sorts of
speculation. 1t was explained au-
thoritatively later, however, that the
meeting was devoted largely to con-
sideration of departmental matters.
and had been prolonged because Il
was the first time since the cam
paign that all the members had been
present.
In other quarters than the White
House II was learned that some worn
indicating the official attitude of the
Entente Allies toward the peace pro-
posal is being awaited with the deep
est interest by the American gov
arnment. The President Will not con
slider injecting the United States into
the situation until he is thoroughly
familiar with its nhases
Secretary Lansing, explaining the
delay in transmitting the communi-
cations OF the Central Powers, point.
ed out that the German note was
translated into English by Charge
Grew at Berlin and the one from Aus
tria by Ambassador Penfeld at Vien-
ma; while the Turkish note came to
the State department in French AS
the communications were intended to
be Identical, the State department
does not desire to transmit three diff
fcrent versions, and when all three
are in hand tomorrow. plan to
avoid this will be determined upon
In England, France and Japan,
this government represents all three
Teutonic countries and will therefore
have to deliver three separate notes
In Russia and Serbia, the United
States represents both Austria ano
Germany and will have to send on
two seperate notes. Only to Bel
gium, where Austria is represented
and in Rumania, where Germany is
represented. will it be possible to
send only one note.
Switzerland's action in handing the
German note to Italy without COM
ment, as announced through the Ital-
ian parliament by Foreign Minister
Sonnino, was noted here with inter
est.
Definite indication of the attitude
OF the Entente Allies is expected in
the speech of David Lloyd-George
the British prime minister. next
Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the authorized state
ment OF the German embassy here
that partia. disarmament will be one
OF the subjects taken up at any peace
conference was discussed generally
in official and diplomatic circles. with
speculation as to how far in this di-
rection Germany might be willing to