New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-15
Striving to Utmost to
Lure Wilson Into
Trap
WOULD MAKE HIM
PEACE CATSPAW
President Still Undecidei
on Next Move, Due to
Allies Reply
From Tn. Tribune Bureau

From Tn. Tribune Bureau
Washington, Jan. i4.-Germany
is using every art known TO diploms
acy and publicity to entangle Presi.
dent Wilson inextricably in The
peace situation. This has become
increasingly apparent since Deccm"
Der 20, when it was learned tha' Mr.,
Wilson had injected himself into The
situation by his note to the powers.
Owing to the policy Of secrecN
that has followed the leak invest
tigation, however, it is impossible td'
ascertain just how far the schemf
has succeeded. II is safe to saF
that nobody in Washington today
knows what the President is going
to do, except the President himse!f.'
1t is even likely that he does nou
know.
Germany hopes and expects that
Mr.. Wilson will make another moves.
She is attempting to encourage him
by semi-oficial announcements thaS
she will publish her terms il Mrs
Wilson asks It. She is attempting
to flatter him by equally semi-officisl
statements that he is the one man
in the world who can open the
slammed door.
Allies Check Him
But from all indications obtainsbls
the President will make his decisicq
with the utmost canton. The note of
the Allied governments was easssori-
cal in its rejection OF all German-msds
peace suggestions. The Presiden'
understands clearly that as the Allies
see it the military situation does not
warrant any hope OF a satisfactory
peace at this time. SO far as making
progress toward peace is concerned, any
move Mr.. Wilson might make would b
a failure before it started.
But il the Presidents sole object
we're to bring peace, il could be said
definitely that no further move would
be made, and, in fact. that the frss
note would not have been sent.
The next move. II there lie one, vilt
be a diplomatic msneuvrs aimed az
cementing the relations between thf
United States and Germany which, sea
cording 10 Ambassador Gerard, "neves
have been more cordial Mr.. Wilson
knows that this cordislity depends on
his Willingness 10 fulfil Germany's eS-
mediation that he will keep the peace
agitation alive.
Break with Entente Is Aim
What Mr.. Wilson may not believe
though il is well understood among Of
fcials generally--is that Germsny's
purpose now is 20 provoke troubls be-
tween the United States and the Al
lies. Germany would like to see the
Allies constantly slamming the door IN
Mr.. Wilson's face, and the eonsequens
irritation OF the President and tbs
American people. German propaganda
has improved in subtlety since the de-
parture of DR.. Bernhard Dernburg, and
Germans believe the country may be
ro-German yet.
The Presidents dilemma, therefors,
il 10 conciliate Germany without irri-
tating the Allies. The first step thss
Germany would like him to take seems
an innocent one-merely 20 ask ths
German government for a public state
ment OF its terms, which probably
would be gwen. But il Mr.. Wilson
takes this step, Germany will not bs
content until ne taxes another, and yea
another.
The German idea is that the Ameri-
can people, comparing the terms OF
Germany with those of the Allies,
would be convinced that the Allies
we're seeking conquest and the Ger
mans only protection. The Allies want
Alsace-L Lorraine returned to France,
the Italian provinces in Austria 20
Italy and the map Of Southeastern
Europe resrranged on nauonalsuo
lines. They also want indemnities and
Constantinopie.
What Germany Seeks
Germany wants only the status QUO
ante. with ever so little Of Serbia and
ever so much Of Russia as Germsn-
controlled buffer state. Also her colo
nies. which the Allies do not mention,
but are holding back for bargaining
purposes.
On paper. these statements appear
greatly in Germsny's favor so far as
moderation is concerned. But for Ger
many they mean everything reali-
zation of an Oriental empire. They
are actually, diplomats realize, much
further from the status quo ante thaa