Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-09
j. s. WILL ATTEND
PEACE CONFERENCE,
THINKS C. GARDNER
Says Country Demands That
the Rights of the Most Pow
erfuI Neutral in World Be
Considered

WASHINGTON. Jan. S.-The the
United States intends TO sit in at the
worlds peace conference whenever that
may be held. is the outstanding sign1-
canoe of President Wilson's address 70
the powers.
. This address is an anomaly in the dip
lomatic world. II is neither Official nor
unofficial II is like a good many other
things in this world war situation; il
established a new precedent
Mediation used TO be the method by
which warning powers got together. A
powerful neutral nation would serve as
a medium through which the warning
pavers would match up their ideas as
TO settlement This is what took place
when Roosevelt got the Russian and
japanese ambassadors together as pre-
liminary TO the Portsmouth conference
which worked out the details Of the
peace between these nations
Theoretically ambassadors OF warning
nations do not speak TO each other and
theoretically there is no communication
between warning nations That tradi-
tion and make-believe have broken down.
Germany smashed II the other day by
dealing directly with her enemies.
The German offer of peace was as I'M
usual in the diplomatic world as a flash
OF lightning out Of a summer sky such
a thing never had been before. II
was a recognition that the age of sail
ing vessels and dispatch boxes and of
communication by written document
only had passed and that submarine
cables, radiograms and the telegram
have brought all natiOns-warring or
non-warrfng-into hourly and almost
mOmentary communication
The necessity that the United States
act as a mediator for the adjustment
Of peace views was a tradition Ger
many has invited peeCe conference OF
her own motion The United States
was left TO do nothing or 10 do wna,
President Wilson now has dOne-tO
throw onto the diplomatic table the
same kind Of an unofficial, diplomatic
plan
The United States through President
Wilson. has spoken II has said in ef-
feet shat no neutral nation is uncon-
cerned with the great war and the
terms of the peace settlement
The United States IS greatly con-
cerued with the settlement of this war
and with the terms on which l. Is sell
lied The United States proposes TO do
all in its power 10 exert influence on
both these questions. 1t proposes to
take Tart officially or in some other way
IN the final arrangement by which Va
are supposedly 10 be decreased ana the
affairs of the world got in better shape
Neutral rights on the ocean in world
commerce. and rights of all kinds will
be involved in the final peace parley-
The question will be considered wheth-
er there shall be a world league TO en-
force peace. whether there shall be
gradual concerted disarmament.
In all these questions the United
States renounces its historic and tradi-
tfonaI policy OF isolation We re-
nounce the George Washington injunc-
ton against entangling foreign alliances
and recognize that the world is smaller
place than il was in Washington's days
and that neighbors are brought close
by three thousand miles OF ocean rather
than remote.
Our country demands that the rights
as the most powerful neutral in the
world be considered.
President Wilson was urged months
ago 10 call a conference Of the neutral
powers If the answer to this informal
note is not encouraging. his next step
unauestiOnably will be TO call that neu-
trail conference. Through this the in
terests and rights Of neutral powers
will be formulated and presented to the
warning nations and influence Will be
brought TO bear on the belligerents TO
adjust their quarrel and end the war