The sun., 1917-12-06
WILSON SPOKE
FOR ENTENTE
His Address Relieved to BE
Only Statement Any Nation
Will Make Now.
REPLY TO LANSDOWNE
Failure to Particularize on
"TerritOrial Indemnifica-
ton" Causes Gossip.
REPLY TO LANSDOWNE
Special DespateA TO THE SUS.

"pe'"s Ds"poN" ~ AhE SOH.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 6.-President Will
son In his address yesterday is believed
to have spoken for the Entente nations
as we'll as for the United States when
he sounded democracy's slolan OF VIC
tory first with Justice and mercy after
ward.
The Presideno address was accepted
on ali sides to-day as a statement Of
war aims am as tne only statement
which the United States and the Entente
Governments may be expected to make
either now or in the near future. While
the President is known TO have kept the
actual contents OF his address even from
his own Cabinet, the belief il widespread
here that the President was In comn,u-
nication with Col. House on the subject
and that representatives of the Allies in
Paris had a pretty fair understanding lg
of just how far the President intended
to go in the statement. which has now
been accepted generally as a reply to
Lord Lansdowne and others who have
been pressing for the Qualification Of
war aims.
sOme Complaint Is Heard.
But while approval of the general
tenor OF the address was everywhere
heard to-day. there developed concern
ing that part o: IL dealing with war
aims divergence OF views in some
quarters. There were some in official
circles here who complained to-day tha;
the President had been too specific,
while on the other hand complaint was
heard from some at the Capitol that the
President. when 1t came to war aims,
had not been specific enough
Surprise was still expressed to-day in
certain diplomatic quarters that the
President went as far "a he did, cons!d-
ering the delicacy Of the subject from a
diplomatic viewpoint. Those who ex-
pressed some disappointment based this
largely on the Presidents failure to par
tcularize especially on such matters as
territorial indemnifcat!on"
In the opinion OF this group-and II
includes some Senators whose opinions
are generally resrected-the matter of
territorial indemnification is going to be
one OF the big issues Of the peace nego-
tiations. They would like to see this
nation come out now and place its dis
approval unequivocally OH any terri
torial indemnification plan that was not
clearly shown to be in furtherance OF
the main object, namely lasting and
Permanent peace.
Might Make L. s. Umpire.
1t was suggested to-day that with the
nations of Europe so closely related to
the territories which might he involved
in this issue it might he left to this
country rs the umpire at the peace table
to decide whether any proposed transfer
of territory was necessary to the main
tenance of such a peace.
But diplomats point out that this pro-
on I,,r vpuIl ha u it, = !,
as we'll as its advantages. II would,
they say, have impressed enemy peoples
to hear that under no circumstances
would there he any territorial changes
or any territorial indemnity. But II un-
douhtedly would have aroused bitter
controversial feeling In Entente coun-
tries.
There Is one faction IN Great Britain
that wants German colonies taken over
AS one price for the German crime
against civilization. There is another
faction that does not. The President
doubtless agrees with the latter. but he
sees no necessity for preciptatinG n con-
troversy between the two factions by
definitely stating so. Serious fact!onal
Quarrels retard war progress and are
therefore to he avoided. it is explained.
Likewise n definite statement concern
ing refusal to sanction Italy's territorial
aspirations would be certain to arouse
bitter controversy In Italy. 1t Is pointed
out that Italy now needs above all else
unity and maximum strength. and that
it would be poor strategy to precipitato
needless internal dissension over the ef-
fects of victory not yet won.
German National Library Burns.
AMSTERDAM, Dec 5.--The German ma :