The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-01-11
Peace Talk Recalls How Negotia-
tions Were Started in
Past Conflicts.
GERMAN MOVE STANDS ALONE
History Does Not Disclose an Exact
Parallel to Course Of Central Pow
ers-Mediation, Such as Of
fered by President, Seldom
Has Been Accepted.

New York.-How did great wars
md? Have peace offers such as Pres
dent Wilson's usually borne fruit?
Did an undefeated warning power like
Germany ever before hold out the olive
branch to the enemy?
These are questions of Intense in
terest to humanity today. Their an
swers have direct bearing on the
topic uppermost in almost every mind
how soon the awful holocaust of
Europe's best and bravest will cease.
History does not disclose any exact
parallel to Germany's course, at least
In modern times. A belligerent
Boosting herself victorious, has never
before requested her adversaries to
meet her End discuss possible terms
of peace.
Moreover, President Wilson's offer
of mediation faces the fact that rare
ly have nations availed themselves of
such an opportunity. The United States
may now become the great peace
maker, the mediator between the en-
tente and the central powers, but it
Will be almost the first time such
situation has developed.
Many times, indeed, in almost every
war, a beaten foe has requested peace
parleys through a neutral. Such an
act Is usually rightly taken as con-
fession of defeat. In our last war,
the conflict with Spain, the Madrid
government on July 26, 1898, realiz-
ing that further struggle was fruit
less, made overtures to the United
States through Jules Cambon, who
was then French Ambassador at
Washington
Protocol Was Signed.
The American government immedi-
ately availed itself of this chance to
get together with the foe and II days
later the protocol was signed.
When England tired of the long
losing fight with her American colo
les, she first sent separate ENJOYS to
fhe French government Americans
ally. These were followed by other
negotiatOrs who discussed the situ-
alton with the commissioners the
American government had sent to
Paris.
The American commissioners had
been positively commanded by the
Continental Congress not to negotiate
peace without the participation of
France, which reminds us of the
agreement in force today between
the present entente allies.
But the commissioners did sign n
separate treaty with the reservation
that 1t should not go into effect until
France had made peace.
When the French government was
informed by the commissioners of
what had been done, 1t accepted the
terms, which then came In force.
Our war of 1912 saw an offer Of
the Russian car to act as mediator
much like President Wilson's action
of a few days ago. The offer was re-
jected by the British But Lord Cas-
tlereagh, speaking for the London
government, let it be known at the
time he refused the czar as media
tor that he was willing to negotiate
directly with the United States.
The United States Immediately sent
commissioners, but Great Britain de-
layed long time. She did not ap
point the promised ENJOYS, who
signed the peace of Client, until her
troubles had aggravated greatly and
she was quite desirous of peace.
In the Mexican war President Polk
would have made peace at almost any