Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-02-02
HOW GREAT Wars
OF HISTORY were
BROUGHT TO END
Peace Talk Recalls How NegotI2-
tons 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
Nd? Have peace offers such as Pres
dent Wilson's usually borne fruit?
Did an indicated warning power like
Germany ever before hold out the olive
branch to the enemy2
These are questions of intense in
terest to humanity today. Their an
swers have a 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,
boastlng 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 awaited 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 Il
will be almost the first time such {
situation has developed.
Many times, indeed, In almost ever!
war, a beaten foe has requested peac'
parleys through a neutral. Such al
act is usually rightly taken as a con
fessiOn of defeat. In our last wal
the conflict with Spain, the Madri'
government on July %. 1898. realiz
ing that further struggle was fruit
less. made overtures to the Unite
States through Jules Cambon. VIII
was then French Ambassador q
Washington.
Protocol Was Signed.
The American government immed
ately availed itself of this chance {
. get together with the foe and II day
later the protocol was signed.
When England tired Of the Ion,
losing fight with her American col,
MES, she first sent separate ENJOYS {
the French government, America
ally. These were followed by otht
negotiators who discussed the sit,
alton with the commissioners II
American government had sent
Paris.
The American commissioners hs
been positively commanded by II
Continental Congress not to negotia
peace without the participation
France, which reminds rs of Il
agreement In force today betwe<
the present entente allies.
But the commissioners did sign
separate treaty with the reservatit
that It should not 60 into effect UNI
France had made peace.
When the French government W
Informed by the commissioners
: what had been done. it accepted t
terms, which then came in force.
Our war Of 1912 saw an offer
the Russian car to act as mediat,
much like President Wilson's acti
Of few days ago. The offer was
sected by the British. But Lord c,
q tlereagh, speaking for the Lond
:, government, let 1t be known at {
!. time he refused the car as med
!, tor that he was willing to negotia
directly with the United States.
=. The United States Immediately Sc
"A commissioners, but Great Britain
10 layed a long time. She did not /,
- point the promised ENJOYS, W
N signed the peace Of Client, until l
A troubles had aggravated greatly a
~ she was quite DESTROYS Of peace.
" In the Mexican war President P,
- would have made peace at almost a