Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-05
(By Associated Press.N

|
(By Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. If the en-
tente reply to President Wilson's peace
note Tails to meet his proposal for an
| early occasion for an ayowal of terms
the president will not let the negotiations
drop but will make at least one more
move.
| This became known definitely TODAY.
although it was indicated that no Anal
decision on the nature of the next step
had been reached.
Colonel e NJ. House, who had advised
| closely with President Wilson all along
| on the peace movement, conferred at
length with the president today and was
about the official circle comforting with
| others In touch with the subject
Definite arrangements for publication
! of the entente reply have not vet been
announced here
President Wilson's attitude was again
described today as being sure that some
beneficial results viii come df 1.-THE me-
| gotlatlons and he is holding himself I
ready for the next step.
The administration policy of absolute
| secrecy which curtains the moves in
| the peace negotiations at this stage, So
| far as the United States is Concerned
| remains unrelaxed but does not alter
well defined impressions that important.
developments are transpiring under the
| surface.
PURPOSE NOT UNDERSTOOD.
! If another communication is sent it Id
| expected to make more clear the posi-
ton of the president as it is felt that as
\ result Of comment abroad and in the
United States and, the debate in the SEN
ate more or less confusion has arisen as
to just what he intended. ]
| President Wilson's chief hope in the
| II q nf hA f{nfi
known to lie in his suggestion that a I
means be found for maintaining peace
| in the future. If an agreement on that
point can be reached the president is said
to feel 1t would constitute the "guaran-
tees for the future" demanded by the al
lies.
1t was generally indicated today tina:
the president has no present intention of
asking Colonel House to go to Europe
on peace mission.
While the president never has publicly
Indicated willingness to act as medium
for exchange of terms secretly between
the belligerents and it is known that he
would prefer that it be done publicly.
American diplomats and other sources OF
confidential information have been look
ing into that point. The negotiations
were described today as being of a highly
confidential character.
President Wilson's friends say he is
uncOncerned over efforts to connect his
note withgthe German peace proposals.
Feeling that his sole object in sending
the note was to learn just where each
side stands he is known to believe that
in the end the allies as we'll as the CEN
trail powers will realize that his move
was not directed against either.
All officials are silent over the reports
that Ambassador Gerard as a. result of
his talk with the German chancellor, DR..
Won Bethmann-Hollweg. probably trans
mitted a report on details of Germany's
peace terms to make them available to
the entente allies. They also refuse to
comment on the statements attributed
to the former Hungarian premier, Count
Julius Andrassy, that the entente could
learn GermaEy's peace terms through
the president.
Neither is there official comment
available on the statement that the en-
tente reply to President Wilson's note
will be in his hands two days before IL
is made public.
Endorsement of President Wilson's
peace note was again subject Of debate
in the senate today. Senator Lodge was
ready to continue his objections to in
dorsement, on the ground that the note
had become to be considered as intended
to aid Germans peace proposal, partly
because of the statement OF Count Berns-
torff, German ambassador, praising 1t.
The senate had before it another res
olution offered by Senator Gallinger as
a substitute for Senator Hitchcock'S
resolution, expressing the senate's hope
for peace. without specifically commend
ing the presidents note. Z
Senator Lodge, completing his argu- .
ment in the senate today against the
Hitchcock resolution to endorse Presi-
dent wilson's peace note, declared its
adoption would be leap in the dark
and precipitate congress into the midst
of incompleted negotiations concern-
ing which it knew noting.
Senator Lewis, Democrat, of Illinois,
began a defense of the resolution, con-
tending it did not involve the nation
into the unprecedented situation sug-
gested by Senator Lodge.
Senator Lewis argued that the resolu2
ton would merely approve the action of
the president in sending a note request
ing terms of peace and not the contents 7
of the note which E4Ehc involve other
issues.
Senator Lodge at the outset corrected
his translation of the German ambas-
sador's published statement praising the
note for which he yesterday assailed the
envoy.
I'm translating the ambassadors
statement" said Senator Lodge. II
quoted it as stating that Germany
stands ready to follow him. meaning
the president. I have been informed
that the German word was used in the
sense of it and not him, and that the
phrase meant that Germany was willing
10 follow the Star of Bethlehem thus
carrying out the pleasing parallel in
the ambassadors statement between the
presidents note and the Star of Bethle-
hem.
II do not think, however. that the
charge alters the essential meaning OF
the ambassadors statement"
Ambassador Bernstorffs statement,
referred to, as re-translated by Senator
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