The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-17
PEACE NOTES CONSIDERED.
PRESIDENT MAKING CAREETu,
STUDY OF BELLIGERENTS'
REPLIES.
Next Step in Move for Peace Not De.
termincd, but Hope of Bringing
Waring Nations Together i'm Con-
ference to Discuss Terms Oh Which
War May be Brought to a Close.

] Washington, Jan. 12.-The atti-
tude of President Wilson toward the
replies Of the warning nations to h,s
suggestion that an opportunity be
given for comparing peace terms re-
mained undetermined tonight. Pre-
liminary discussion of the question
was begun at today's cabinet meet
Ing, and at conferences between the
president and Secretary Lansing and
7 between the president and Col. T..
M. House who spent the day at the
i White House.
81 Informally officials express the
opinion that the problem facing the
4 president is how to reconcile the
conflicting attitudes of the central
d powers and the entente allies on the
question of comparing terms. The
central powers having offered to dis
cuss peace at conference Of repre-
! sentatves of the belligerents and the
! tentente powers, though virtually de-
Ginning to agree to conferences,
having given their broad terms pub
s licly, it was suggested that the pres
ident might seek new method of
having terms compared.
u In his original note he said he was
indifferent as to the means employed
IA hfnfy l,ie
~ was thought he now would avoid
q putting himself in the position of ad-
klvocating particular method In one
n administration quarter it was sug.
ii gested that one or more Europeeu1
III neutrals might urge Germany ani
4 her allies to make public their peace
3 terms, and others thought it poss-
pie that voluntary statement might
he Forthcoming from Berlin after tn,
text of the entente reply had been
banded to the foreign Office for It's
Aneormation by Ambassador Gerard.
3 ~ 1lsfs Mis- sindcrstocds .tisc-aote. has
} not been transmitted to American
diplomats in the Teutonic countries,
! although it is generally assumed that
: this will be the first step actually
taken by the United States.
i Secretary Lansing broke his silence
on the subject today only to say def
nitely that no action had yet been
Il taken.
1t is generally agreed everywhere
that the nature Of the terms of the
entente, with the intimations from
German sources that such terms can
not be accepted, make an early peace
N unlikely.
The preliminary view of the ad-
, ministration, however, still is that the
door to discussion was not entirely
closed. In the German view here it
rests entirely with the president
whether negotiations would be con-
tinued at this time. 1t is regarded as
certain that the Germanic allies will
consider any proposition Mr.. Wilson
J may make, and that they probably
would be willing even to discuss in a
conference with their enemies the
conditions stated in their reply.
AT the same time it is reiterated
that Germany and her allies never
upon any consideration would accept
such terms and should they agree to
enter conference to discuss them
no wit fho
entente might recede from it's posi-
ton. In this connection the Germans
express the belief that the entent set
forth in it's note the objects it desired
to achieve rather than the only terms
upon which it would make peace and
that as the communication was writ
ten for publication broadcast. it prob
ably could be expected that objects or
terms less moderate than those given
could have been stated Extreme ret
lcence was observed today at the
White House and state department II
was said so many delicate points are
involved that very careful study will
be given to the problem before any
decision is reached
The view was genrally expressed
that the first milestone in the nego-
tiatiOns inaugurated by Mr.. Wilson
had been reached and that there
would have to be Il general assess !
ment Of the entire situation before an
other move could be made. No cstl- |
time which may elapse before the de- |
cision of the president is made known /
although the long conference between !
the president and Secretary Lansing /
today, coming SO soon after the re-
ceipt Of the entente note, was taken
to moan that thern will be 10 unnercS-