The Washington herald., 1917-01-10
WORLD CHALLENGED
by U. S. PEACE note
Newspapers of Country Divided Be-
tween Praise and BlaR for Wilson.

N4stiieticu VI party, AfneTiCdn
newspapers are praising or blaming Presi-
cent Wilson for his note to the powers.
In any event. as the Burlington. Vermont,
Free PressS(Rep.) says, President Will
son today occupies the center of the world
stage. His message of peace has chal-
lenged the attention of all civilized ma
tions:'
American Approval.
The Burlington Free Press continues:
whether neutral or belligerent, all
countries are busy today scanning his
words and wondering what the harvest
shall be. The President has thus CEN
tered all eyes upon himself and the
A rherican nation he represents, because
he has given voice to the peace aspira-
tions of all belligerents no less than Of
all neutrals. Whether the American over
lures are accepted or not, President Will
sons fame as champion and advocate
of peace is made doubly secure"
President Wilson wants each of the bel
/ igerents to tell what he is fighting for.
chronicles the Syracuse Post-Standard
Rep). IF the objects of warfare are
thus formulated he believes that there
will be laid the foundation for peace
Says the Louisville Courier-Journal
(DemD:
IF this is not proposal for peace, not
IL
1t is hard to classify it. It is certainly
something new in international deport-
ment for an outsider formally to inquire
of the participants in a war in which he
is rot involved what they think they are
fighting about
wilson's note for peace strikes the
right key" proclaims the Lewiston, Me-
Journal CRep.). 1t sis timely in tact and
in sentiment. The rights Of neutrals are
cur business and the oelligerents should
sit up and take better notice"
The New York Worlds Dem) opinion
follows:
"A majority of the American people. in
the East at least. have ceased to think
about the war in terms of the United
States. They are pro- British or pro-
French or pro-German, and non-Ameri-
can. They have forgotten that their
country has any direct relationship to
this conflict or has any rights that II is
bound to protect unless those rights hap
pen to coincide with the aims Of one set
of belligerents or another. The Presi-
dents note is a definite assertion that the
United States has something of its own
at stake. and that Hs standing in court
is not to be ignored"
Therefore the chief pont in favor of the
note Is its careful basinS of the sugges-
ton for conference upon the plain, in
disputable interest of the United States,
concludes the Milwaukee Sentinel (Rep),
and adds that 'ft is professedly a move
in our own proper business, and not a
piece of officious Interference that might
warrant a rebuff"
Many American-American newspapers
agree for once with a German-American
organ. the New-Yorker Herold, in the
following view:
THE Presidents note is drawn UP In
such a manner that the impression is
conveyed that he is merely sounding the
belligerents as to the prospects OF peace.
but in reality he would not have dared
to come out openly in this manner IL
secret negotiations, whether he should
do so, had not been answered by the bel
ligerents in the affirmative"
And the Topeka, Kan, Capital:
'"The fact that on previous occasions
he has resolutely remained silent though
pressed to bring the great prestige of his
Office to the support OF the peace fac
tions, logically argues that back Of his
energetic action at this time stands some
inner knowledge or advice that is con-
elusive in his own mind of the timeliness
of present overtures."
Will the note bear fruit? Yes. answers
the Columbia, s. c., State Dem0:
. IF the Presidents proposal to the bel
ligerent powers can be accepted by them.
or even received with the moderate de-
gree of respect to which any utterance
of the head Of a great nation is entitled,
1t will bear fruit-probably more fruit
than the German suggestion Of peace ne
cotiations at the present time. That is
manifestly one-sided proposal"
But whether the warning peoples reject
Mr.. Wilson's appeal or not, they cannot
be offended at IT, observes the Rochester
Union and Advertiser (Dem.), and adds:
He has offered them an opportunity to
go on record as sincere in their profess
sions of a desire for peace. It may be
that one side or the other Is not yet
ready for the discussion Of peace It
has then nothing TO do but to inform Mr..
Wilson of its decision"
American DisapprovaL.
So much for commendation. As to ad-
verse criticism. the Buffalo News CRepD
expresses the opinion of many other
journals a it says:
ject of peace ELECTED Just what was ex-
pected-profound surprise, a little ridi-
Guile, and a measure of contempt
'As for any definite result Of President
Wilson's little cast into the arena of
European politics, 1t is not to be expected.
'As happens to most letter writers, his
pen has led him into depth from which
he cannot well write himself out"
The New York Tribune CRep) "pro-
pundly regrets that President Wilson
bould at this time have been moved to
Ike any gesture which, however hon
intended to promote the cause of
= will inevitably tend to complicate
TO clarity the situation" Its rea-
following:
llies this gesture following the
lloyd George, will seem a de-
to give force and power to
neuver made in the name OF
ended to promote the process
z as a result OF violation
lstice."
extraordinary conclusion
OF the war have never
tated is thus disposed of
Tia Ledger Rep):
take a very diligent
RANGES on both sides
ol, to determine this
has apparently am
park of his, to the
of the conflict is
a kind of verbal
which gets us no
Gnd. DEM, in
n of the Presi-
of the notes
it,
IN GO fe eroIrnd