Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-15
MUST CEASE
BEFORE CHANCE OF TERMS:
SAFEGUARD TO ARMISTICE
Text of President Wilson's
Reply to German Peace Note

Washington, Oct 14-The text of the presidents
o the German peace note reply follows:
"Sir: In reply to the communication of the Ger
man government dated the 18th instant which you
handed today, have the honor to request you to
transmit the following answer:
"The unqualified acceptance by the present Ger
man government and by large majority of the Reich
stag of the peace terms laid down by the president of
the United States of America in his address to the
gress of the United States the 9th of January 1918
and in his subsequent addresses usfes the president
in making frank and direct statement of his decision
with regard to the communications of the German gov
ernment of the 9th and 18th of October, 1918.
1T must be clearly understood that the process
of evacuation and the conditions of armistice
matters which must be left to the judgment and ad
vice of the military advisers of the of the
United States and the allied governments, and the
president feels it his duty to say that arrangement
can be accepted by the government Of the United
States which does not provide absolutely satisfactory
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 safely assume that
this will also be the judgment and decision of the allied
governments.
1.-THE president feels that it is also his duty to add
that neither the of the United States nor he
il quite sure, the with which the govern
will consent to consider armistice long the
armed forces of Germany continue the illegal and in
humane practices which they still persist in
AT the very time that the German government ap-
proaches the government Of the United States with pro-
po;als of peace its submarines engaged in sinking
ships at and not the ships alone but the
very boats in which their passengers and seek
make their to safety and in their present enforced
withdrawal from Flanders and France"the German
les pursuing of wanton destruction which
has always been regarded in direct violation of the
rules and practices of civilized warfare. Cities and vii
lagos, if not destroyed being stripped of all they
contain not only, but often Of their very inhabitants
The nations associated against Germany cannot be
pected to agree to cessation of while acts of in
humanity, spoliaton and desolaon being continued
which they justly look upon with horror and with burn
ing hearts.
ut is necessary also in order that there may be no
possibility of that the president should
very soemnly call attention of the government of Ger
many to the language and plain intent of of the
terms of peace which the German government has
accepted 1t is contained the address of the president
delivered at Mount Vernon the Fourth of July last.
ut is as follows: The destruction of every arbi-
rary anywhere that separately secretly and
of its single choice disturb the peace of the world
be presently destroyed least its reduction to
virtual impotency'"
'The power which has hitherto controlled the Ger
nation of the sort here described It is within the
choice of the German nation to alter it. The presidents
words just quoted naturally constitute condition pre-
cedent to peace to by the action of the
German people themselves. The president feels bound
to that the whole process of peace wiA in his udg
ment depend upon the deneness and the satisfactory
character of the guarantees which be given this
fundamental matter. 1t is indispensable that the gov
ernnents associated against Germany should know be-
yond peradventure with whom they are dealing.
"The president will make separate reply to the
royal and imperial government of Austria Hungary.
"Accept SIR the renewed assurances of my high
consideration. s.-.u.
ROBERT LANSING"