Mexico Missouri message., 1918-10-24
MUST QUIT INVADED TERRITORY
BEFORE CONSIDERATION
is GIVEN PLEA
LEAVES Way FOR PEACE
Asks Chancellor IL Message Comes
From War Lords or From German
People-Not Ready to Talk Of
Negotiating With Huns.

Washington Following is the text
OF President Wilson's reply to the cen
raj powers peace plea as delivered 10
lhe charge of Switzerland by Secre-
tary OF State Lansing:
Sir have the honor to acknowl-
edge, on behalf of the president, your
note OF Oct. 6, inClosing the communi-
sation from the German government
Ia the president, and am instructed
by the president TO request you to
make the following communication to
me imperial German chancellor:
Before making reply to the request
Of the imperial German government,
and in order that the reply shall be as
candid and straightforward as the mo-
mentous interests involved require, the
president Of the United States deems
It necessary 20 assure himself of the
exact meaning of the note of the i'm
perial chancellor. Does the imperial
chancellor mean that the imperial Ger
man government accepts the terms
laid down by the president in his ad-
dress to the congress of the United
States on Jan. 8 last, and in subse
quent addresses, and that its object N
entering into discussions would be
only to agree upon the practical de-
tails of their application?
THE president feels bound to say
with regard to the suggestion of an
armistice that he would not feel at lib
erty to propose cessation of arms to
the governments with which the gov
ernment of the United States is asso-
ciated against the central powers, so
long as the armies of those powers are
upon their soil. The good faith of any
discussion would manifestly depend
upon the consent of the central pow
ers Immediately to withdraw their
forces everywhere from invaded ter
ritory-
"The president also feels that he is
justified in asking whether the i'm
perial chancellor is speaking merely
for the constituted authorities of the
empire who have so far conducted the
war. He deems the answer to these
questions vital from every point of
view
Accept, SIR, the renewed assurance
Of my high consideration.
ROBERT LANSING"
ngtop.-President Wilson has
met Germany's peace note with move
which will at one stroke develop
whether her proposal is sincere or
merely a pretension, and, If a preten-
sion 1t be, fully justify for all time be-
fore the world the prolonging of the
war with force TO the utmost, force
without stint or limit. At the same
time the president has left wide open
the door TO peace.
Declining to propose an armis.ice
while the armies of the central powers
remain on invaded soil, the president
called on the German chancellor TO
state, as an absolutely necessary pre-.
itninary to reply from the entente
allies and the United States, whether
Germany accepts the principles of
peace as repeatedly laid down, OF
merely proposes to accept them las
the basis Of negotiation" and whether
the chancellor merely speaks for the
German military masters conductina
the war or the whole German people
AS the full significance of the presi
dents diplomacy is disclosed it be
comes evident that he has left oper
The way to peace and at the same time
left the militarist leaders of the cen
trail powers with a question they mus
necessarily answer in a way that viii
lead TO peace or confront them witt
an embarrassing situation in their owl
countries.
Step Toward Peace.
Among diplomats here the Presi
dents communication is regarded a
one of his master strokes. II i
pointed out that upon cursory ex
animation II may not reveal sucl
strong terms as some may have dc
sired. All the Presidents advisers
however, are confident that as clos
consideration reveals its fun imports
il will be apparent that it is a lon
step forward If Germany really mean
peace, and that If she does not, it vii
strip bare another hypocrisy of Gel
rlan diplomacy so completely that th
responsibility for prolonging the wa
never can be charged to the allies
eTen by the German people then
selves.
The text of the Presidents commu
nication was made public by Secretar
Lansing. together with the officia
text Of Prince Maximilian's note, no,
published in America for the tirs
time. At the same time officials lie
II be known that there would be n
reply at present to the Austrian note
similar to that OF the German char
selior II is not considered necessar,
% deal with Austria until the tim
saaaslaR for n rpnly IN har domfn a I'm,