The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-15

While nowhere in the note does the President openly join with the entente statesmen in the demand thnt the .schief criminals" must he delivered up for trial, the Pres ident's confidants point out that he plainly subscribes to the doctrine that the guilt of bringing on the world war is personal.
 It will he noted that the Presi- dent completely rejects the Gcrmsn suggestion for n mixed commission to arrange an evacuation and re- binds the militarists that they will accept the terms laid down by Mar Shal Foch and the associated com- manders. that they will have no part in framing them. He nskes 1t plain that he does not accept the new German government, beaded by Chancellor Maximilian, as any thing less autocratic, anything less creature of German miiitarisns. than its predecessors, md warns the German people thnt unless they destroy it the allied armies will dU so
 MUST CHANGE GOVERNMENT
 One of the important points of his
 
 edges the present German 4overn- ment's unqualified acceptance of his peace terms and then goes on to show thet those terms provide specifically for the substitution O: government wholly responsible tO the German people themselves for the present one dominated by the German militarists.
 Quoting his Mount Vernon speech of July 4. the President reminds Germany thnt his terms call for ''the destruction of every arbitrary power anywhere, thnt can scpn- rately, secretly. and of its single choice disturb the peace of the world; or If 1t cannot he presently destroyed, nt least its reduction to virtual ilnpotency."
 HERE, THIN, FOLLOW THE WORDS WHICH PROCLAIM WITH TINALI1Y THAT THE ACTO- CRATIC GOVERNMENT OF GER- MANY MUST GO, AND PLAINLY INVITE THE GERMAN PEOPLE,; TO MAKE THE CHANGE WHICH WILL BtING THEM PEACE
 ''Fhe power which hitherto hae controlled the German nation,' says the Presidents reply, Ais of the sort here described. It is with in the choice of the German people to alter it. The President's words just quoted naturally constitute condition precedent to peace, If peace Is to come by the action of the German people themselvcs. The President feels bound to say that the whole process of peace will, in his judgment. depend upon the defi- mi faf fu uofA Uh acter of the guarantees which cnn he given in this fundamental mat ter. It is indispensable that the governments asSo..iated against Germany should know beyond per- adventure with whom they are dealing.
 PEOPLE MUST SPEAK
 THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE PRESIDENTS FRIENDS SAY. FULFILLS TILE PREDICTIONS OF THOSE WHO DECLARED THAT WHEN HE ASKED FRINGE MAxIMJLIAN IF HE MERELY REPRESENTED THE MILITARY LEADERS WHO HAD BEEN CON- OUCTiNG THE WAR. HE WAS LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS TO SHOW THAT THE NEW GOVERN AIENT OF GERMANY IS Nc LESS [ AUTOCRATJC THAN T'HE OTH- FRS, AND FOR A FINAL STATE MENT TO THE GERMAN pFO- PIE THEMSELVES THAT NCTI- ING nun THEIR AUTOCRArIC GOVERNMENT STANDS Ri- TWEEN THEM AND THE PEACE wHICH THEY so FERyENTLl DESIRE. THIS. THE PREsJ- DENTS FRIENDS LAY, HAS BsE.> THE WHOLE THEORY OF HIS DIPLOMACY.
 When the President decided tU say that if an arnlfstice should be thought of. 1t could not he con sidered without inpoaing terms to guarantee the good faith Gft Ger many and provide for the mnlu- tcnnnce of the military supremacy of the armies of the United States and her allies, he undoubtedly knew what the allied war councii. ncting on the e'.Oinmendations of Marshal Foch, had desdded upon as neces- saiy guarantees. rhese now are