The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-10-17
GERMANS CRY FOR
PEACE; DON'T GET IT
PRESIDENT DECLINES TRUCE.
Will Not Treat With Present German
Government at All.

Wilson has answered Germany's
peace proposal with a decision which
not only fulflls the expectations of
supporters of his diplomacy but also
dispels the fears of those who pre-
dicted he would substitute victories
at arms with feats at diplomacy. No
peace with kaiserism, autocracy must
go, no armistice can ever be thought
of while Germany continues her afro
cities on land and sea, one cannot be
considered unless it is fully dictated
by the allied commanders in the field
in such terms as absolutely provide
safeguards and guarantees that Ger
manys part will not be scrap of pa
per-.
This is the presidents answer. The
text of the note, which is directed to
the charge of the Swiss legation, fol-
lows:
*'Sir:-In reply to the communica-
ton of the German government dated
the 18th instant, which you handed
me today, 1 have the honor to request
you to transmit the following answer:
"The unqualified acceptance by the
present German government and by a
large majority of the reichstag of the
terms laid down by the president of
the United States of America in his
address to the congress of the United
States on the 9Th of January, 1918,
and in his subsequent addresses JUS
titles the president in making frank
and direct statement of his decision
with regard to the communication of
the German government Of the 9Th
and. 18th of October, 1918.
1T must be clearly understood
that the process of evacuation and
the conditions of an armistice are
matters which must be left to the
judgment of the military advisers of
the government of the United States
and the allies governments and the
president feels it his duty to say that
no arrangements can be accepted by
the government Of the United States
which does not provide absolutely sat-
isfactory safeguards and guarantees
of the maintenance of the present
military supremacy of the armies of
the United States and the allies in
the field.
HE feels confident that he can
safely assume that this will also be
the judgment and decision of the al
lies governments.
'The president feels that it is his
duty to add that neither the govern
ment of the United States nor, he is
quite sure, the governments with
which the government of the United
States is associated as belligerent,
will consent to consider an armistice
so long as the armed forces of Ger
many continue the illegal and inhu-
name practices which they still per-
sist in.
"At the very time that the Ger
man government approached the gov
ernment of the United States with
proposals of peace it's submarines are
engaged in sinking passenger ships
at sea and not the ships alone, but
the very boats in which their passen
gers and crews seek to make their
way to safety, and in their present
enforced withdrawal from Flanders
and France the German armies are
pursuing course Of wanton destruc-
tion which has always been regarded
as in direct violation of the rules and
practices of civilized warfare. Cities
and villages, if not destroyed, are be-
ing stripped of all they contain, not
only, but often of their very inhab-
itants.
"The nations associated against
Germany can not be expected to agree
to a cessation Of war while acts of
inhumanity, spoilation and desolation
are being continued which they justly
look upon with horror and with burn
ing hearts.
1T is necessary, also, in order that
there may be no possibility of mis-
understanding that the president
should very solemnly call the atten-
tion of the government of Germany
to the language and plain intent of
one of the terms of peace which the
German government has now accept
ed. It is contained in the address of
the president delivered at Mount Ver-
non on the fourth of July, last:
1T is as follows:
THE destruction of every arbi-
trary power anywhere that can sep
arately, secretly and of it's single