Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-10-09
CENTRAL POWERS Send
PEACE NOTE To WILSON
THEY ACCEPT WILSON'S TERMS As"BAs-
is FOR NEGOTIATIONS"
Presidents Answer Not Yet Made Public but
viii BE Refusal-Meanwhiie Allies
Fight to Victory Ever where


That Germany is now more to be feared in
her peace offensive" than in her military
operations has been amply proven during the
past week. Following the appointment of
Prince Macmillan of Baden as chancellor Of
Germany. both Austria and Germany have
dispatched peace notes TO President Wilson.
The notes do not differ in substance, and both
countries accept the fourteen proposals OF
our president las a basis for negotiation"
There's the rub. The United States govern
ment, in announcing those fourteen peace pro-
posals which have now become world famous
as the only basis upon which Just and last
ing peace caIld possibly be made, did not in
tent them TO be open for negotiation. Moth
lnE short of their unreserved acceptance by
The central powers will be acceptable 10 the
governments of the allied powers.
President Wilson aberdoned his daily exer-
cise and WIS eiose;ed Ia his study all day Civ
ing the notes the m Jst searching scrutiny
II is presumed that he has been in touch with
the premiers of the allied governments while
framing a reply. and that reply will state the
position of all the allies. il rs presumed. II
is thought that the reply win be made public
today. 1hat it will be a fiat refusal of the
request for an armistice is confidently er-
pected. No right thinking American wants
peace until the German nation has been so
crushed that she will never dare 20 again en-
terrain her dastaFdly dream of world do
minion. She must be made 70 eyacuhte every
foot of captured territory. indemnify si,num
France. Russia and the Balkan states for all
the unspeakable suffering and property dam
age she has done; she must give up Alsase-
Lorraine and Poland and the subjected for
eign peoples under her rule and that Of Aus
tria; she must abolish her present govern
ment and create one with which the allies can
confer with a feeling of its sincerity. I'm
conditional surrender, such as Bulgaria has
just consented to, is the only action on the
part of Germany that will warrant giving an
armstice to the central powers.
The press of the United States without
dissenting voice calls upon the president to
fatty refuse the request, and congress has been
I..ws 81 sa.I.n !,
10 the same effect. General Pershing's mes
sage TO the American people is that the Yanks
have met the enemy. have tried him out,
confident that they can whip him 10 q stand
the job. Every loyal American agrees. Let
this be thelast of wars. The way to make II
is TO erushingly defeat Germany. Every
where this peace move on the part Of the Hun
governments is thought TO be utterly devoid
OF sincerity and designed TO make US slack
IN on preparation, TO undersuhscribe the
Liberty Loan. ard 10 give Germany time TO
care for her badly shattered armies.
Meanwhile the allies the western front
continue 10 draw the iron ring tighter and
tighter around the key positions Of she B0che
The Americans and French are pushing hard
in the Champagne district aEinsi the most des-
perste resistance for here they threaten the
communication lines that supply all Of the
German forces in France, Between Lens and
Cambria the Yanks and British blowing
allead, and the evacuation Of Lille is a matter
Of few days, This is the last great French
city in German hands. The unspeakable Ian
is destroying with the torch every city and viii
Iage as he retires and wrcakiHg his savage
vengeance upon the de.enselcss civilians.
Bulgaria is demobOlizing her armies and has
served notice upon Germany. Austria and Tur-
key that their forces must be withdrawn from
her soil within raonih. The British forces
in Palestine continue their successful cam
paign against the Turk.
LATER The morning papers contain The
Presidents reply 20 the German peace note.
Z is not an answer but g query. The presi-
dent asks: Does The German govern
ment accept the terms laid down by the pres-
:dent January and in subsequent ad-
dresses, and that its object in entering into
discussions weud be only &c agree upon the
practical details OF their application ?" Ger
h.auy can hardly avoid direct answer 10 this
leading question. Wilson ther rays that ne
Goes not feel at Liberty 10 propose armistice
80 The Allied governments while German troops
ua tion'' is the terse neaaiHg. The president
then asks whether the imperial chancellor rs
speaking fer the German government which
has 50 fa5 conducted the war, OF for the peo-
ple Of Germany as well. This is in line with
his oft-repeated statement that the allied gov
ernments cannot be expected to negotiate
with the treacheT0us HehenZoieTu war lords
Il was not expected that President Wilson
would leave the matter open to discussion.
bat he has so wOrded his reply that Germany
must either plainly declare her sincerity or
show to the world thar she merely spar
ring for time in which 10 draw back her de-
feated forces 70 more secure positions.