Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-10-16
BOCHE PEACE NOTE
Is TURNED DOWN
PRESIDENT WILSON HoTLY SCORES AU-
ToCRAcY AND AUTRoCITIEs
Says Both Must Cease Before Peace Terms
Will Even be Considered--Allied
Armies Gain Steadily

: With the dispstehing of the Presidents
formal reply to the German peace overtures,
n great sense Of relief more settles over
the United States and the Allied countries.
II is felt that the sharp and clear reply of the
president has closed the door 10 further ne
gotiations until sneh time Germany is more
thoroughly whipped the people themselves
/ rise IN real revolt and set up a government
with hieh the Allies could treat.
Germany replied 60 the presidents question
rs to their acceptance Of his terms by a seem
ing agreement to them; also suggests tina: a
mixed commission be appointed 10 arrange for
the evacuation of invaded territory; also says
that tie German government tihe Kaiser
and tie great majority Of the Re'chstag are
jointly making the peace proposal. On its
face these answers lock fairly we'll. but on
closer Inspection there TO be several
''niegers in the fence" The German people
hsve no hand in the making either of peace
or var While the government Is as 1t is, and
by that token the Kaiser and the reichstag
cannot speaA for the people. Wilson has re
peatedly stated that the government must be
shanged before the allies viii recognize il.
And Germany must eyaeuate every foot Of
captured territory before peace terms win
esen be mentioned. There are other evasi0ns
in The language of the note which would leave
oaphoes for lengthy parry were the document
10 be accepted as being a sincere move by Ger
many--Hot to mention the ease with which
Germany could smuggle her defeated army
back TO the frontier under cover Of the parry.
faiherIand.
Our president speaks in strong sarcasm of
Germanys peace prefer coming while her
submarines ajnking not only ships but the
boats in which women have taken refuge, and
of the wRnton desolation wrought b. the
treating army in France and Begium-'acts
Of inhumanity, spoilation and Oscillation are
being continued which justly look upon
with horror and with burning henrts"--and
says that German autrocities on land and sea
must cease before an armstice is even con-
sidered. Once more he reiferateg that autoc-
raey must go. quoting his former speech: The
destruction Of e cry arbitrary power anywhere
that can separately, secretly and Of its single
choice disturb the peace of the world: or, il
reduction 20 virtual impotency. lie then styles
the German government such power and
that ITS reformation constitutes a condition
precedent TO peace, III peace Is to come by the
action Of the German people themselves. . .
The whole process of peace depends upon
the defniteness and the satisfactory character
Of the guarantees that can he given in this
fundamental matter. II is indispensable that
the governments associated against Germany
should know beyond a peradventure with whom
they are dealing"
The president says that a separate reply
viii be sent 70 Austria and Turkey. This rs
very good diplomacy. Separated fror, her
allies 10y the surrender Of Bulgaria and panic
stricken by the successes Of she British army
in Palestine, Turkey is about through. and a
complete surrender on her part is confidently
expected within short time Austria Is in
desperate shape. also. and may follow after
Turkey, As 10 what effect the reception Of the
presidents reply will have upon Germany, Il
IS hard 10 say. 1t, may produce a spirit in
her To eight TO the last ditch--or the reverse
volt 10 establish a republic and treat with the
allies, This must ultimately happen.
The peace drive has found ne reflection in
the military situation. Marshal FOch has piv-
en- the hard-prsssed Boche no rest on the west
front. Before the victorious rush OF British
and American troops Cambria fell, and with il
ie,0e0 prisoners. They have since moved be-
You'd that place. few miles north the Brit
ish have encircied Douai, and its fall Is mat
ter of day two. This deepens the Lille
saNent. ON the other side Of the salient.
British. French and Belfiap troops are attack
ing on a vide front in FlsnaerE II Is mai
or operation thai will be catastrophe to the
Germans II attended with success. for the
sub bases. Ostend and EeehruEee, lying just
ahead, vital 10 the Hun. South Of Cam
bria the victorious French forces have driven
deeply into the German lines. Again, fifty
miles south. the French and American forces
in The Champagne region have moved ahead
placing La0u and the ST GOhnin faassif in the
tip Of deep salient. This IL the strongest
position on the west front, and lis capture by
frontal attack would have been terrible nm
6erlakirR. But The aankinR movements rem
deFed the position untcnable and the Germans
yith6rev from The whole region without
Eight. The last io9t OF the old Hindenhurg
line has been passed and hundreds Of nquare
miles Of French and Belgium territory recoy-
erred which has been in German hands since be-
ginning OF the
The clearing up Of the Argonne forest by
our American boys will be written in history
ss of the high lights az military ae-
hieveInent. II Rns y tangled wilderness Of
trees. underbrush. trenches. harrieades, snip
ers and machine gun nests. This desperate
defense was because Of its being vital to
the stability Of the German line. For five days
Major Nhittlesey's battalion we're in this jun
gle cut off from the rest of the American
forces, bnt when the Boches acked them to
surrender. the Major replied Go to HELP
and the starved. wounded and thirst -parched
men Of his command eheered Justify. Later
they were rescued.
payne region the French and Americans took
900 prisoners, 600 guns and 35Oe machine
guns. british troops in Palestine under Cen
eral Allenby have advanced so far as 10 be
operating beyond the anehient city Of Da-