Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-24
PUBLIC C|S.P[EASED
WITH new NOTE
Presidents Passing of De-
cision to Military Advisers
Ends ParIey.
IFS IN PRESIDENTS REPLY
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

Comment today in important Of
fetal circles on President Wilson's
latest ncte expressed profound graf
ificatios4ha the request by Germany
and hsF allies for an armistice has
been passed on to the. military ad-
visers of the United States and the
entente allies for acceptance or re-
lection. Satisfaction over this phase
Of the situation was also echoed gen.
orally in lay and official expression.
The main point, as grasped by the
commentators by and large, Is that
the fleeing German armies are not to
escape unscathed to their line of last
defense. there to make a stand and
centrated man power prolong resist
ance to the inevitable. Armistice is
to be decided by the military COM
manders..and only after the present
military supremacy" Of the allied
peradventure. Maintained naval su-
premacy as well is assumed as par,
of the understanding. -.
Public Fear Removed.
The one fear that has beset the pub
lie mind since the opening of the par
leys. and which was shared to a degree
in military, official and diplomatic
quarters here, was that the Germans
might possibly succeed in their ef-
fort to get their forces clear of the
point of the bayonet and the cannon's
mouth. under the plea of peace nego-
tiations. That apprehension has now
been efectually removed, it was held
today. No other Interpretation of the
Presidents language was deemed pos
sible than that surrender, actual phys
ical yielding of the means of warfare
and men. is the next step the Hun
must take.
Terms Of final peace. politics, reor-
ganization Of governments. down
and-out for the HohenZollerns and all
that. sort of thing will take their
course and come in due time, but first
of all the power of the German mil
itary machine to do further harm to
the world must be destroyed.
Another Comforting Thought.
Another. comforting thought which
was expressed on ar sides taday WIS
that further discussion with Germany
has ceased. Again q sigh of .satisfaes
tion from 3 the public ande offcfals
Every prospect Of another communist
ton has caused gloom In the past,
even though admitting that the pafleys
were working to a certain end.
Apparently the public and officials
are quite content to let future nege-
tot
Pershfng. the battling commanders.
is good enough for them IN
the way Of terms of armistice WILL be
quite satisfactory here, 1t was de-
clared on all sides today. There is no
chance. it was felt sure. of the Ger:
which will offer an outlet Of escape
from the military net being drawn
around them. -.
Interest in Military Phase.
For the moment interest centers al
most entirely about this military
phase Of the proposed armistice. to
the subordination of the questions of
final terms of peace and governmental
changes which will come up for set
eventually. Only casual dis
cussion was given to these features.
It was noted here. however. that in the
ultimate adjustment the disposition of
the captured German colonies will be
an important issue. England has al
ready sounded q note of warning on
this score. For the present, at least,
that issue is held here to be rather
academic as far as this country is con-
cerned.
Realization that there are to be no
further exchanges with Germany for
the present is founded on the Presi-
dents language in saying that he has
.h t9s Gorrssp1ndsnee 9n enc ne
ernments with which the United
States is associated as a belligerent,
with the suggestion that if those gov
ernments are disposed to effect peace
upon the. terms and principles indi-
Gated their military advisers and the
military advisers Of the United States
be asked to submit to the govern
ments associated against Germany the
terms of such an armistice
as will fully protect the interests of
associated governments the Hnre-
stricted power to safeguard and en-
force the details of the peace to which
the German. government has agreed,
provided they deem such an armistice
possible from the military point of
view"
Several "Ifs'' Noted.
1t was pointed out today that there
are several ''ifs" in this program
which must be resolved before an
armistice is likely to be granted. The
first If is. whether the associated
are disposed to effect
peace upon the terms and principles
indicated. that is to say, the fourteen
specifications and the later speeches
Of President Wilson. Another "if'' is
whether the military advisers deem
an armistice possible from the mill
tary point of view So. So,
- Again, therefore. Is accentuated that
condition which has aroused such gen.
eral satisfaction here, that the whole
situation has been placed in the hands
of the military authorities on the
fields of battle-veritably an injunc-