TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-01-15
The ridiculous enthusiasm
Of The provincial press.

Just to show that the opinion OF
the provincial press on really big
matters is without any significance
as to the real meaning OF the event
In question we publish the editorial
opinion Of a big newspaper, the Chi.
cago Tribune, on the Allies reply
TO Germany's peace offer. The little
papers, in their denseness and mar
rowness Of mind and In their OBJ
stinate eagerness to help England
whose agents they are, had 1t all
settled that the Allies note vas the
finest piece OF diplomacy that ever
was written. II came frcm Paris
VIA London, and things which come
that way are always admirable In
the eyes Of the provincial press
which has no opinion Of It's own
unless II is . very foolish one.
The first glance at the Allies note
made it clear to everybody with
common sense that 1t was not a
blank refusal and written for home
consumption, that II was not a really
diplomatic rejoinder and only
comparable with the believing OF an
ass who Is too weak to kick. II Is
a new testimony OF a mental poverty
that our provincial sheets should
feel satisfied with this note. which
we and many others considered an
insult to public intelligence from
the beginning.
Following is the editorial Of the
Tribune:
To America the allies reply to
Germany viii appear verbose and
even obscure.
One Of the greatest international
communications Of history, IL lacks
all the IneldIty and beauty that
characterized Americas sublime ef.
fort, The Declaration of ~independ-
ence.
1t breathes passion, but II does
not speak squarely.
A single sentence would have left
its meaning unmistakable. The very
length OF this document qualities its
apparent meaning.
The literary shortcomings Of the
document are easily accounted for
by the fact that It had to be written
In FIVE languages differing In con
struetion and id-iom-Rnssian. Italian.
French, japanese, and English.
Its final form as agreed upon by
the conferees was not In English.
1t may have been In French, or Ii
may have been In Russian. The
! literal translation resulted Ia clumsy
English
Clearly the note was written for
home consumption and to steel the
allied peoples to further trials ..
The note was not addressed to
Americans, II that purpose had been
in the minds OF the trainers, they
would have expressed themselves Ia
clear English, the construction In
AngIo-Eaxon, not Latin or Slay.
Perhaps 1t will read better in
Spanish. South America may now
be more important ID international
affairs than North America.
The allied diplomats appear to be
10 accord In purpose, but to have
had a hard time In getting the sum
mary Of their views on paper.
The awkward conclusion specially
mentioning Belgium shows that this
paragraph was written after the
original note was finished. It was
added 10 piegse ONT special lpterest.
probably Belgian. Those who labor
under the delusion that this cou@try
is seriously considered 10 the world
may think IL was directed at Amer
lean public opinion.
As far as can be read from the
language Of the note, 1t means that
the governments Of the allies are
vigorously opposed to peace or peace
negotiations at this time, and they
are using the answer 70 Gernanys
peace oTertures to present reasons
TO their peoples, especially TO the
continental peoples, for continuing
the war.
But we cannot Judge finally until
the note in the language it was
written rAaches America and is
translated into clear idiomatic Eng