The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-01-17
REPLY
WILSON'S Note
Ambassador Sharp, Of Paris, Trans
mits Allied Governments Reply
to Wilson's Peace Nofe.
REPLY BLAMEs CENTRAL POWERS

Cites Enemy's Atrocities and Says
They Desire to Insure Peace Of
Liberty and Justice.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11-Followine
| is the translation of the entente al
lies reply to President Wilson's
peace note, transmitted today to the
state department by Ambassador Will
lam G. Sharp, Paris: ID.
Ambassador Sharp to the Secre'
tary of State American Embassy,
Paris, Jan. 10, 1917. ... .
"The allied governments have re-
ceived the note which was delivered
to them in the name of the govern
ment of the United States on the 10th
Of December, 1916. They have studied
it with the care imposed upon them
both by the exact realization which
they have of the gravity of the hour
and by the sincere friendship which
attaches them to the American people.
For Insurance Of Peace.
"In general way they wish to de-
clare that they pay tribute to the ele-
walton of the sentiment with which
the American note is inspired and
that they associate themselves with
all their hopes with the project for
the creation of league Of nations to
insure peace and justice throughout
the world.
"They recognize all the advantages
for the cause of humanity and civiliza-
,tion which the institution of interna-
tional agreements destined to avoid
violent conflicts between nations
uoIuM sluoueeISe :lueA3Id plnoM
to insure their execution and thus to
must imply the sanctions necessary
prevent an apparent security from on
ly facilitating new aggressions.
Blame Central Powers.
"But a discussion of future arrange
ments destined to insure an enduring
peace presupposes satisfactory set
tlement of the actual conflict The
allies have as profound a desire as
the, government of the United States
to terminate as soon as possible war
for which the central empires are re-
Epcnsfbie ID which ssa sssa4ll
sufferings upon humanity, but they
believe that ssit IA impossible at the
present moment to attain a peace
which will assure them reparatfOn,
restitution and such guarantees to
which they are entitled by the agEres.
sion for which the responsibility rests
with the central powers and of which
the principle itself tended to ruin the
security of Europe; a peace which
would, on the other hand, permit the
establishment of the future of Euro
pean nations on solid basis.
Fighting for Humanity.
1.-THE allied nations are conscious
that they are not fighting for selfish
interests but above all to safeguard
the independence of peoples, of right
and of humanity. liz
"The allies are fully aware of the
losses and suffering which the war
causes to neutrals as we'll as to bel
ligerents, and they deplore them; but
they do not hold themselves RESPONSE
BILE. for them, having in no way either
willed or provoked this war, and they
strive to reduce these damages in the
measure compatible with the inexor-
able exigencies of their defense
against the violence and the wiles of
the enemy.
Understand U. S. Position. u
1T is with satisfaction, therefore,
that they take note of the declaration
that the American communication Is
in .nowise associated in it's origin with
that of the central powers transmitted
on the 18th Of December by the gov
ernment of the United States. They
did not doubt, moreover, the resolu-
tion of that government to avoid even
tie appearance of a support, even NOR
al of the authors responsible for the
war. #.
"The allied governments believe
that they must protest in the most
friendly but in the most specific man
ner against the assimilation establish
ed in the American note between the
two groups of belligerents; this assim-
ilation, based upon public declarations,
by the central powers, is in direct op-
position to the evidence, both as re-
CARDS responsibility for the past and
as concerns guarantees for the future;
President Wilson in mentioning it GER
himself with it.
s Onus Of War on Germany. d"
'If there is an historical fact estab-
ilSHou dt tle present VdIc, IL Is Luc
willful aggression of Germany and
Hungary to insure their hege-
mony over Europe and their economic
domination over thesworld.
Germany proved by her declara-
ton of war, by the immediate viola
tion of Belgium and LuXemberg, and
by her manner of conducting the war,
her Stimulating contempt for all prin-
ciples of humanity and all respect for
small states; as the conflict develop
ed the attitude of the central powers
and their allies has been continual
defiance of humanity and civilization.
Cites Enemy's Atrocities
= SIS it necessary to recall the hor-
rors which accompanied the invasion
Of Belgium and Serbia, the atrocious
regime imposed upon invaded coun-
tries, the massacre of hundreds of
thousands Of inoffensive Armenians,
the barbarities perpetrated against the
of Syria, the raids of Yep
pelins on open towns, the destruction
by submarines of passenger steamers
and of merchantmen even under neu-
tral flags, the cruel treatment infiict-
ed upon prisoners Of war, the juridi-