The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-06
FORWARDS ALLIES ANSWER.
REPLY 1REJE(.TlNG .rEUTONIt,
OFFER SENT BERLIN BY
UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES.
President Wilson Undecided on Any
Further Peace Move ut This Time
Reply Is Presented to sclllte l,y
Senator Hitchcock.
Washington, Jan. 2.-The entente
reply rejecting the peace proposals
Of the central powers was cabled by
the state department today for pre-
sentation to Germany and the other
belligerent governments whose dip
lomatic interests the United States
represents at allied capitals. TO save
time the cabled English translation
was dispatched from here and Ambas-
sador Sharp was instructed to for
ward the French text direct from
Paris.
1t was authoritatively stated that
President Wilson had not decided
what If any further move in the in
terest Of peace he might make but
was keeping all open mind on the
subject while waiting for the entente's
answer to his note proposing a dis
cussion of terms by the belligerents.
No official comment was forthcoming
on press reports from Paris indicating
that the reply to the president in .,f-
feet would be the same as that given
the central powers.
Discussion of the advisability Of
legislative action approving the course
Of the president in sending his note
occupied the senate for more than an
hour and will be resumed tomorrow.
Action was delayed by unanimous con-
sent because Republican senator's in
sisted that the question was too i'm
should be considered by the foreign
relations committee.
Particular interest attached to
statements by Senator Stone, chair
man Of the foreign relations commit
tee. who had an hours conference
yesterday with President Wilson. Ad-
ministration officials made 1t cleer that
the president did not seek action by
congress, though of course he would
not like to see proposal to ind orse
his policy defeated.
The discussion began when Sena-
tor Hitchcock's resolution to approve
the note automatically came before
the senate. Democrats urged that the
resolution should be passed without
delay in order that the presidents
position might be approved by CO.
ordinate branch OF the government
which has authority in in.ernational
affairs.
I Senator's Lodge. Gallinger, Botah
and other Republicans insisted that
Senator Hitchcock consent to let tile
matter go to the foreign relations
committee. They expressed the view
that the proposed action was fraught
with such international importance
that it should not be acted upon with
uot very careful consideration and not
until senate committee had oppoi-
tunity to study the exchanges of bel
ligerent and neutral governments
which have followed the original Teu-
tonic note suggesting discussion ol
peace.
There were strong intimations to-
night that the Republicans will in.
sist upon thorough debate If Sena-
tor Hitchcock persists tomorrow in
his demand for vote without refer
! ence to q committee. Such a discus
sion, 1t was pointed out. might lead
to another general debate on the Eu.
ropean war situation such as charac.
terized the controversy over the right
Of American citizens to travel on arm.
ed ships.
Senator Stone declared that the Is.
sue was whether the senate should
indorse a movement calculated u
open the way for bringing about peac.
in Europe. For the senate to hesi.
tate would destroy the moral effec;
Of the proposed Endorsement.
| Views Of many Republican senator,
were epitomized by Senator Lodge
who declared the resolution opened
up very large. grave and impor
tant subject"
| II trust" he added, that it will
be realized that this thing can not
be rushed through, involving, as II
does, our relations to all the world
resolution similar to that Of Sen.
atOr Hitchcock was introduced in the
house late today by Representative