Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-23
DIPLOMATIC WASHINGTON
AMAZED BY PEACE SPEECH
Foreign Enjoys Avoid Expressions
of Opinion as to Possible i;Tcc,
Of Unexpected Step.
CONGRESS LEADERS DIVIDED
'rillman Regards u as NOblcst utter
ance That Has Fallen From Iiu-
man Lips Since Declaration Of In
dependence.

WASIIINGTON, Januar" 22.-Dipio-
matte WashiuSton> amazed over l'rcsi-
dent Wilson's peace speech bcf"r" tho
senate. refused TO 20 on record to-
night. and adroitly avoided expressions
of opinion rs ITO the possible effect Of
tho Presidents unexpected step. Con-
ErcSSional comment WAS divided. Al
the ciIba Ssies. particularly the ncu-
trais. tao speech canrC as "a bolt out
OF the blue. and foreign "nvoys re-
served opinion until they HAY" been
acquainted viii til" views and atti-
Jude of their respective. governments.
At the entente embassies diplomats
appeared much concerned over tho
Presidents phrase peace without vic
tory" and his comment on ''frc"Gon
Of the seas'' was plainly evident that
they interpreted that part Of the l'r,Si :
dents speech as taking direct issue
with The entente powers reply to the
I'rcsidcuCs l,cacc proposal. Thry held
10 the view hat the Presidents utter
;incca were largely "acaG.nic'
Neutral cuSoSS W..T. extremely ~ y.
'iccn,. particularly those representing
nations which first lam" out with in
horsoin"uts -. tho Presidents original
peace move. Diplomats from tn" Dan
ish. Swiss and Swcdish nations re-
fused to d,s.'uh- the speech III my way.
Spanish hrIba s.s.,or Tiiano 1T a late
hour had not received copy If the
peoch. which II WIS announce! had
h""n sent to All diplomats merely FOR
Information" bat he, as veil as otho!'
neutral cnyuys indicated that IL would
he promptly forwarded a. SOON as re
"~iycd.
Tho Teu,ouic vicw was that tia:
Presidents speech was continuation
of tho pcace program mapped out by
tho President in December. German
.\fn tot. ssador Won Berustorn firmly de-
cliucd 30 discuss tn" note, ard re-
fused 10 Indicate whether n. viewed
til, declarations made In u favorable
or uufaNora bic hight From sources
close 10 the Tcutouic Embassies. how :
rr+side,; did no; advance AN, proposal
which would not lie acccptn bic TO tn.
German government and her allies.
MANY REPUBLICANS
OPPOSED no PLANS
congressional leaders were divided
iu Optnions. publicly expressed, over
Tho i'rcSi'icntS "pecCh Man? with
hold comment until they could examine
tho document more closely. Privately
several Of them, mostly Republicans.
declared they we're unaltcrably opposed
10 tho Pr-sidcntS plans.
"a most astonishing manifestations
as startling ss the Declaration OF In
nependcnc, to the current thought 81
he world" VAS the comment Of San
peace leaders.
''rh. speech VIII HAY" :. tremendous
Influence with the entire worid ia th.
raIsc Of peace" said senator rom.renc
~ ohio member OF the Foreign Nel:t
tIons Committee.
The president has a,id what The
country thinks and believes about thi.
war. and approve every word o: IT,.
senator Hughes, OF New Jerscy. said
II regard In" Presidents speech as
Hncc that has fallen from human lips
because IL Is based on justice and ILL.,
modern civilization" was senator Till
President maps out Is 81 giants stride
giant TO make it.
the message, and reserved comment.
licpuhiic:u Leader Mann, OF the House,
said II would be improper for him 10
make any comment
Representative Cooper ranking Re
publican member OF the House Foreign
.iffaiTs Committee. said
"Fh" Pres idents message seems to
." the spoken word Of the people oi
;hc world on the peace question
Wncthcr or not the bclligcrcnts will
&C; together on the terms mcntione ed
Is question. but If the speech can
be published abroad II ought to lead To
CONSERVATIVES OF those nations get
iins together TO discuss peace. at any
rate"