The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-23
OFFICIALS ANXIOUS
: WAITING FOR REPLY
BeIligerents Expected to Answer
Wilson's Speech in Week
or Ten Days.
Continued from First Page.)

INSTRUCTIONS TO present IL to the var1-
Gus foreign offices, is interpreted 10
mean that he expects the belligerents
to take 1t up.
Answer Expected Soon.
, 1t is assumed here that already
the authorities at the war capitals
are shaping their responses, and that
within a week or ten days the pre-
miers of all these nations will have
something to say on the subject IN
addresses to their respective parlia-
ments.
What the official comments of these
men will be is a matter which the
foreign chanceries here are loath
to discuss.
There is no mistaking the fact,
however, that officials OF the entente
embassies are amazed and resentfuL
whereas the attitude in German cir
cles is more or less one of COM
placency.
Stormy Debate Due.
Pending the receipt Of the re-
Spouse from abroad there is every
probability that there will be stormy
debate on the subject in the Senate.
Already some of the Republican lead
ers are preparing a vigorous assault
upon the President, while the Demo-
Gratis, for the most part, are pre-
pairing to rally to his support.
Even the Democrats, however, ad-
NIT having been completely taken of
their feet by the unexpected action
of the Chief Executive. For some
time they had been believing that he
had under consideration another
move to save his peace efforts from
complete collapse, but gradually,
with the repeated and indignant de-
mails from the White House that Mr..
Wilson was contemplating anything
further. their expectations had begun
to wane.
Expect Public Praise.
The Presidents friends frankly ad-
NIT that they look for such a favor
able response from the public at
large as will discourage any efforts
on the part of the Senate to debate
the wisdom OF his action
Acting presumably at the sugges-
tion OF the President, Senator Will
lam ]. Stone, chairman OF the For
eign Relations Committee, has OBJ
have the speech printed as a public
document, and copies of IL will be
sent broadcast through the country
by Democratic members of the House
and Senate.
In view of the careful efforts made
by Mr.. Wilson to have his speech pre-
scented formally abroad, and in view
of the immediate and lasting impress
sion his utterances were certain to
have, Senate members regard as
somewhat superfiuous the Presi-
dents carefully phrased statement at
the outset OF his speech that he felt
that II was his duty to lay the mat
ter before the Senate las the council
associated with me in the final de-
termination of our international OBJ
legations"
Action Beyond Recall
In so far as the President, speak
ing, as he himself said, las the re-
sponsible head of a great Govern
ment," could commit the. United
States to the most daring course a
neutral nation has ever essayed,
members OF the Senate admit, he has
already acted beyond recall.
Even should the Senate now seek
to repudiate his action, IL il pointed
out, the rest of the world, and the
beIIigerents in particular, long be-
fore that time will have shaped their
attitude toward the one neutral
power that has cared, through its
recognized spokesman, to dictate
what shall be the terms Of peace.
Anticipating the criticisms that are
certain to come, friends OF the Presi- !
denfin Administration circles insist ,
ed today that technically speaking /
the President was not seeking to die !
ply setting forth the conditions I'M T,
der which the United States would !
hereafter become party to any con- /
cert of powers to preserve the fu-
ture peace.
Surprise Expressed.
On that score, considerable surprise !
was professed in these quarters over
the report that the entente diplo- =
mats In Washington were bitterly re- (;
sentful OF the Presidents action.
Inquirers We're reminded OF the fact :
that Lord Balfour, in the supplement z
tary reply of Great Britain to the
peace note, had practically
invited the United States to join with
Great Britain and other powers in a
league to enforce future peace. There
Qoo~ g.