New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-02
Diplomats Have Slight
Confidence That Pres
ident Can Win
CONGRESS NOT
TO INDORSE NOTE
Republicans to Deny That
Mann Is Mouthpiece
of Party
Bv STEVENSON II. EVANS

By STENENSON III. E' 'ANo
Washington, Jan. Until the reply
Of the Entente Allies TO President Will
sons offer to be a medium mot
m mediator) between the hghting ma
| tions OF the world is received here
there can be no change in what may
be described broadly and inaccurately
as the peace situation.
There is no real hope Of peace com
! ing out Of the present situation. No
we'll informed person here-and this
| includes the German Ambassador and
/ high officials in the American State
Department--has the slightest idea that
/ the forthcoming note Of the Allies Will
differ essentially from the direct reply
OF the Allies TO the Teutonic peace
/ offer.
This means that there will be no
peace on German terms, that the end
of the war is not in sight, and that
President Wilson chose an inopportune
moment to offer mediation.
The reply from the Allies is not ex-
pected before the end Of the present
week. Any statement concerning the
present crisis pretending to come with
authority from the government of the
f. United States has no basis Of authority.
However, it should be said in justice
10 President Wilson that the mystery"
stories concerning some imaginary sup
Elemental note sent TO Spain and an
additional and secret note to Germany
have no basis in fact. Only one note
was sent to Spain. II WAS a copy Of
the Wilson note to the belligerents.
Lansing Statement Given
When the American Ambassador pre-
sented the note he conveyed also, fol-
lowing instructions, the verbal infOr-
mation that this government would
welcome cooperation on the part Of
Spain in forwarding peace. The same
/ instructions went to American Ambss-
sadors and ministers credited 70 other
neutral nations. As The Tribune stat
/ ed to-day, the secret" additional note
! referred to in Berlin dispatches merely
contained Secretary Lansing's now IA
nous verge Of war" explanation and
+ the semi-retraction which followed.
Although thero is no change in the
peace situation" there hsvs been de-
velopments in Washington in the last
twenty-four hours directly concerning
American interests which ought 20 be
| recorded.
The most important development is
4 in Congress, which reconvenes to-mor-
row after the Christmas recess. There
: will be no Endorsement Of the Presi-
dents peace move, official or unofficial,
in either house. As far as the Republi-
can members are concerned, there are
three very good reasons for this, quite
aside from the fact that the negotis-
tions in their present stage do not con-
/ cern the Congress.
Criticises Wilson
These are:
1. A loudly expressed unwillingness TO
indorse the pronouncement Of Presi-
dent Wilson that the warning nations
do not know what they are fighting
about A member Of the Foreign Rsls-
tions Committee of the Senate said to-
night: "Mr. Wilson Is the only man in
the United States who does not know
what the Allies are fighting for"
2. An unwillingness to subscribe TO
the doctrine that the United States
government and American citizens are
afraid Of losing money and live in
deadly fear Of the submarine peril up-
less a quick end Of the war comes.
3. An unwillingness throughout Con
gress TO give color 10 the theory that
the United States is willing 70 become
an active party 70 the proposal 70 have
this nation enter league OF nations 20
enforce peace. Some Of the most in
Auential members Of the Senate and
House are doubtful OF the will OF the
people on this point.
Test of Isolation" Policy
IL was learned tonight that a group
OF Republican Senator'S is planning 20
make an early test Of American opin-
ion on the question: Shall the United
States depart from the Washington
policy of isolation?
In this connection great deal OF
discussion had been aroused In Wash
ington by the recent editorial in The
Tribune. entitled What Must Be I'm
derstood." the effect OF which was that
the bulk Of American sentiment was
not pro-Ally and never would be. II
was surprising 70 find coincidence OF
opinion in American and German
quarters Representatives of the En-
tente admit that they are ill-informed
on this point. IL is agreed that OF
the lO0,0OO,O00 people Of the United
States 6O,000000 are Indifferent or
the 10000 900 remaining, 25.000,000 are
intensely pro-Ally. and 100000 pro
German. Il may be assumed, and II
il fact. that the German representa-
tives here have accurate information
on this point.
Despite the opinion in Congress and
despite the division Of American senti-
ment. as officially guessed at there Is
no disposition IN any quarter here d.
reetlv 10 attack the President FOR
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