Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-13
PRESIDENT SPOKE
TO BALK THE KAISER
Distortion of Americas Stand by
German Government Forced
Peace Address.
WAaUlNarON Fen 4.

w ARLINGTON, FEb. Id.
President Wilson's address before Con-
grcss Monday was made primarily To
Illustrate the German government s de-
hberate efforts to misrepresent before the
people of Germany and Austria the stand
which the United States has taken on vital
war issues. IL had no secret, subtle motive.
This explanation is forthcoming from
responsible men, AS the Presidents adj
dress apparently has created widespread
comment based on divergence of views
rs 10 what the President had in mind.
In fact no address of the President S since
the war began has led to SO much con-
fusion as to its purposes.
While conceding the lofty tone of the
address there were many who confessed
to be unable 10 see that the speeches of
Count Czernin the Austro-iungarian
Foreign Minister, and Count Won Hert-
ling, the imperial German Chancellor,
had called for a reply at this time. The
Tact that Lloyd George IN the House of
Commons failed to share fully the Presl-
dents view as To the difference between
the attitude of Count Won Hertilng and
Count CgernIn Indicated, IN the opinion
of some, either that this government has
possession of information which has not
vet reached Great Britain or that the
American and the British valuation of
the situation is not absolutely IN accord
Lloyd George secs a difference in tone
between the German and Austrian
speeches. but deprecates the idea that
there is any difference In substance or,
that any result can be hoped for by
counting on what the Austrian Foreign
Minister said.
CzERNIN TENT QUESTIONED.
4 small army of over anxious in ter
a -, ] Il,
retractiun Of the IA specific points he
enumerated as peace terms January 5
and an invitation for the Central Powers
Co hurry negotiations No such thought
was in the President 5 mind, II was stated,
ms whole idea being 10 contrast the posi-
tIons of the German government, the
Austrian government and the German
people
4 feature Of the discussion in official
aud diplomatic circles Is the fact that
President Wilson 5 Interpretation of what
Count ClernIn had said does not seem
10 conform with the text of the Austro-
Hungarian message as made public IN
formally by the State Department The
President said: lie Count Czerninl
sees that an independent Poland made up
ot all the indisputably Polish peoples
ho lie contiguous 10 one another is
matter of European concern and must of
course he conceded that Belgium must be
evacuatcd and restored no matter what
sacrifices and concessions that may IN
vulyC, &c
There has been some reason 10 believe
that Count Czernin entertained these
views but IN the text OF the speech as com
municated TO the State Department,
be said;
III | shall now be allowed to discuss
these proposals in greater detail | must
say two things in advance. As far as
these proposals relate TO our allies, and
IN them there is mention OF the German
holding Of Belgium and the Turkish
Empire, ! declare that faithful 10 the
duties OF the alliance which ! have ac-
cepted | am determined TO go TO every
extreme in defence of our allies "
But Count Czernin, II is pointed out.
did not say he would defend German
holding Of Belgium"
President Wilson obtained the correct
text Ii is regarded here as possible that
LLOYD George has had only the censored
version.