New Britain herald., 1917-01-04
SEN. LODGE ADMITS MISTAKE IN ATTACK Confesses to Wrong Translation
 of Bernstorf Statement BUT IS STILL OBSTINATE
Insists Change in Word Does Not Alter Meaning of Ambassadors Leak" to Open Tomorrow.

Leak" to Open Tomorrow.
 Washington, Jan. 4.-Senator Lodge
 ment today in opposition to Senator fIitchcock's resolution to have the
 senate endorse President Wilson's
 peace note. At the outset Senator
 Lodge corrected his translation of the
 German Ambassador published state-
 ment praising the note, for which he yesterday assailed the envoy.
 'In translating the Ambassadors
 statement" said Senator Lodge, I've
 stated that Germany stands ready to
 follow him. meaning the president. I have been informed that the Ger
 man word was used in the sense of it and not him. and that the phrase meant that Germany was willing to follow the star of Bethlehem thus carrying out the pleasing parallel in the ambassadors statement between the president's note and the star of
 Bethlehem
 T do not think, however, that the
 change alters the essential meaning of the anDaS6aQO 8 statement. Lodges Translation.
 Ambassador Bernstorfr's statement, referred to. as translated by Senator
 Lodge would read:
 "As once the star of Bethlehem from afar led the kings of the Orient through the night to the fulfillment of their hope, so through the darkness of this useless murder In Europe there shines out of the words of President Wilson the light of new message of
 peace on earth.
 1"Germany stands ready to follow 1t. Assured of it's strength but not arro- ] gant, conscious that it drew the
 sword not out of lust of conquest but
 for the defense of its national exis-
 tence, it. does not ask for alien ter i 'ritory but for safety from attack. and
 against alliances that threaten the peace of the world"
 Must Keep Aloof From Europe.
 Resuming his direct argument on 1 the presidents note, Senator Lodge referred to that portion of the note
 which indicated that the United States was willing to cooperate after the war with the belligerent nations 1 of Europe and other nations in an l arrangement for the peace of the world.
 Tt is apparent to every one," he continued, that when we abandon our traditional policy of separation from European politics we take a l very great step which should not be l taken without most thorough knowl- edge of what is intended and of the i distance which we are invited to go. | An approval of the note in this gen. l eral form carries with 1t approval of 1 that general principle of co-opera- l tion.''
 Reading Germany's reply to the ] presidents note, Senator Lodge said:
 There is nothing said in this reply 1 that compares with the statement of the German ambassador regarding the star Of Bethlehem and the light
 cast by the presidents note, but if we remove the diplomatic civilities we | find that on the three principal 1 points-the request for terms, the ! proposal for neutral cooperation, and also as to the future cooperation in l a league for enforcement of world 1 peace-the German note is very ex- l plicit, almost blunt. It says nothing l about terms whatever. It passes that Uy III COHplele SllelC0 Entitled to Know Terms. i Referring to the portion of the | German reply which speaks of the i worlds future peace. Senator Lodg9 ! said that he believed on that point { the German government had taken l the sensible ground that might have 1 been anticipated" He read from news
 papers dispatches indicating Ger l many's terms have been communicat- 1 ed to the president s. l If the president has the terms ! proposed by the Central powers" he
 said, lit is entirely in his discretion 1 to deal with them but if we are to
 endorse everything he is doing then 1 before action is taken we should know 1 the grounds on which we are acting. l When our cooperation Is asked we
 are entitled to the same information i the president has"
 1 Senator Lodge said it was clear
 from the German note that no ad-
 vance whatever had been made on 1 the points which the presidents note | set forth, yet we are asked in the i presence of that reply to give blanket
 endorsement wholly blindly to this l entire negotiation
 | The senator then read the Entente reply to the original German peace 1 the Allies do not accept the proposals 1 proposals, saying that it was clear Hearing on Leak" Charge. Public hearings on Representative l Woods "leak" charges in connection ! with President Wilson's peace note l will be given tomorrow morning be- l fore the rules committed Thomas w.. i Lawson of Boston, representative l Wood and Representative Gardner of
 Massachusetts will be the first heard. 1 Lawson was today subpoeaned by tele-