30 DECEMBER 1916, Page 2

In Germany the President's Note was at first received with

delight, as implying American support for the peace propaganda. But on second thoughts that influential portion of the Press which is hostile to the, Chancellor dedided that Mr. Wilson's move was really in favour of the Entente. Count Reventlow in the Tages. zeitung-said that Mr. Wilson was quite -mistaken in supposing that Germany and her allies wanted to secure " the rights andprivileges of weak peoples and small States," as their aim was " merely to ensure their own existence and their own freedom of development, and that, indeed, by all the• means, which can and must serve that purpose, and whose application lies within the compass of their power." On the other hand, the Frankfurter Zeilung, which used to be a Liberal organ, welcomed the • Note as a virtual repetition of the German proposal,- subject always to the condition that " Germany does not pose as a penitent." Yet so long• as she remains impenitent nothing can come of all this peace talk.