The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-09-03
PEACE DOOR is
NOW SHUT,SAYS
GERMAN PRESS
.yorwaerts" Indicates 1t
Can Be Opened il Peo-
pie Assert Will.
OTHERS ASSAIL WILSON
"Effort to Aid Move for Con-
stitution"-"Worst Enemy
of Teuton Democracy"

oaper comment on President Wilson's
reply TO the Pope's peace note. based
upon ,he full text, Is distinctly hostile
except in vorrderts. the organ of the
Socialist party. All the other Berlin
papers declare the Presidents response
renders peace out Of the question for
the present
The text Of President Wilson'S note
wa, furnished by tho woln Bureau. the
ssmi.of!ic.al news agency, and Is fairly
correct and complete, differing from the
original only in minor points. most OF
which might be due to errors In trans
!s,ion The German version speaks OF
10 barrier. either Of law or Of truth"
Instead OF of law or Of mercy" and Of
A. "unloccved but undefeated" instead
~ "balked but undefeated' Germany.
and Of the counter revolution which
.op'd be caused" instead OF at
rerpted" by maiign influences. The sem
;en,e beginning Irresponsible states
re-" Is badly dislocated In an attempt
~ -lr,e it into the complicated mould
~ German syntax. the phrase punitive
damages" IS translated into damage as
punishment" while treaties OF settle
mrrt IS qualified by the adjective
"nec-c,.' and reconstruction Of small
nations" becomes restoration Of small
nations.
"CautiOus and Clever"
The American note Is a cautious and
clever document says FOruderts. 1T
is a passionate indictment to amend
the system Of government obtaining in
Germany, to which it attributes all the
worlds atrocities.
Against the German people the note
sets forth that America does not want
to retaliate. inasmuch as IL has in the
course OF this war. which II did not
want. suffered much. That is undoubt-
edly a very correct observation that the
German people did not want this war
and in II. course has suffered much.
Fear that yet worse might come keeps
Il awake In defence.
THE American Government repeat
edly declared II does not harbor enmity
against the German people. but proof
Of this assertion has not been furnished.
1t can only be established in a demon
s.rat.on Of Americas will that the Ger
man people are no. TO be robbed and
made 10 pay tribute to its enemies. The
note cautiously omits reference to this
point, which is OF decisive Importance To
the German people. >; does not sup
port the indemnity and territorial de-
mands Of Americas allies. nor does II
relInquish them. II demands that the
will Of the people back up Government
transactions.
"Germans Must Assert WILL"
"A section OF the German press will
hasten 10 say that 1t would be undigni-
Ned for the German people to give such
surety. On the contrary. we believe ii
would be undsnified to refuse it. The
German people are fighting this most
terrible of battles no, FOR the rights OF
single family or a certain form Of gov.
ornment, but for its own existence.
The social democracy considers Il
seN-understood that governments which
conclude peace with each other repre-
sent the will OF their peoples. and also
that they possess their confidence. The
American Government in principle /.
ready 10 negotiate with accredited rep
resentatives Of the will Of the German
people
THE agreement may fail because Of
conditions to be negotiated. but 1t cannot
fal on the score Of VINO is to negotiate
The accredited representative OF thu
German people Is the Reichstas. elected
by democratic suffrage. The only thins
lacking is Government responsible &c
'he peoples representatives.. as it exists
ia all other countries of the world
Shall il be said OF us Germans tina
negota lions with the United States are
impossible because We as a nation Of
heiots are incapable OF asserting oul
own Will? Do we deserve this aftel
'ears Of lighting and suffering. aftel
echievements and sacrifices withou
measure and numbers
ResponsibiIity for War.
The Fossische zeitun1 says:
In its style the note recalls the pom
nous political blossoms with which
L'oyd George heretofore has remem.
oered the German people. Since tn,
breaking on OF relations Mr.. Wilson haI
appropriated this manner Of speech ant
N measure has Americanized il.
ms language Is probably the out
"arn expression Of solidarity with Eng
ana tie employs the same weapons a
n'S ANY holds the alleged German autoc
!a'E responsible for the war and want
70 lIoera,c the world from this menace
Perhaps President Wilson is not We
h'orned # the disclosures made b,
zen Soukhomlnoff rthe former Rus
san War Minister, now on trial 70
heasohl, and Gen, Januchkevitch re
sard'hs the real incidents that led f
me outbreak pf the war: otherwise h
would have altered his tactics. On
'ah ho longer charge the 'autocrati
system of Germany with responsible
'oF Inc war when the whole world know
lna' the irresponsible despots of tn
nars Russia were used as tools 70
me purpose of unleashing the dogs @
war
II tho face NJ such evidence no fur
NOR words need he lost over the auestio
Nheih"r Germany wss responsible fo
mo war This accusation Is especial
'hlculous ana comic out Of the mout
o' Mr. Wilson. this democratic ally {
ae'nr'rstc England. which used Oligarci
I'al Russia as an accom- modatng accei
SHr> " Mr.. Wilson's democratic COZ
"i'uce had always been. as susceptib
as u" now pretends. he would he We d,
'ilned to support the Cars Russia wit
war material. he would have declined
play an important role In Anglo Russia
, pans In word. he would not now
m tins war, which is the product OF a
hnrnry world dcspot ism. and star
"HcTo ho now actual, does, lie wou
not thea employ against Germany thu
p".s0nous weapon which IL so abhorrel
'" The principles of democracy, namel
"onscious lie
Fortunately we are no longer d
Coufiuucd nm Fourth pd0o