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Show FRANCE STANDS WITH ENGLAND ON PEACE QUESTION PARIS, Dec. 22, 3:40 p. m. "A dramatic dra-matic stroke" is the way L'lntransigeant heads President Wilson's note to the belligerents. Commenting on the note, the newspaper says: "Everybody will understand the importance impor-tance of America's act. Mr. Wilson's proposal is clear. The United States has had to suffer from tlie war. Germany is torpedoing its boats and the United States Is sending us material and already has given us financial aid. "It is natural that the president should I desire to know the purposes of the belligerents. bellig-erents. Certainly this act will disarrange the- sly maneuver Germany is seeking to accomplish at this time. Since the enemv has provoked peace efforts, it is rtht that lie should explain clearly just what he wants and that he lay down his cards. He will not be able to escape the request of the American government. "As to us. we know why we are fighting. fight-ing. Lloyd George explained it clearly in the British house of commons. We are fighting because we were attacked and because we do not want to be attacked again." "On the eve of the Christmas holidavs," says La Laberte, "President Wilson would . greet the dove of peace with ' greater pleasure since he fears to see his country drawn into the melee. The submarine sub-marine wariare which Germany threatens to wage to the utmost, regardless of promises made, if its peace overtures are ineffective, may draw the. United States into the world conflict. Secretary Lansing expressed that fear and it is what American public opinion dreads. "We should be certainly desolate if its dignity and interests obliged the Washington Wash-ington government to break with perjured per-jured and barbarous Germany. More than any other country, France, which was attacked without tle shadow of a pretext, Knows what there is of tragedy in such an hour, but we cannot help it. Our American friends must take Into account ac-count the fact that we are struggling for ends common to them and to us. p'or civilization and right we are making war on war and to prevent forever the re- t turn of hecatombs such as the universe n o :v co n t : 1 1 ! a r. t- h with terror. i "To Pr.rs-.-ient Wilson's suggestion, we Frenchmen can make no other reply than that of Lloyd George. I-et the Germans restore territory, let them give reparation repara-tion and let them offer guarantees assuring as-suring a n-al, not a precarious, peace, and we shall be happy to reply to the prayer of President Wilson." |