Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-09

Washington, Oct. S-President Will son has met Germany's peace note with move which will, at one stroke, develop whether her proposal is sim cere or merely a pretension, and, if a pretension it be, fully justify for all time before the world prolonging of the war with force to the utmost, force without stint or limit. At the same time the president has left wide open 1.-the door to peace.
 Declining to propose an armistice 1 while the armies of the central pow 1 CTS remain on invaded soil the presi- dent today called on the German chancellor to state, as an absolutely i necessary preliminary to reply from 1 the entente allies and the United 1 States, whether Germany accepts the
 principles of peace as repeatedly laid down, or merely rr6poses to accept | them as the basis of negotiations"
 and whether the chancellor merely speaks for the German military mas 1 ters conducting the war or the whole l German people.
 l As the full significance of the presi-
 dents diplomacy is disclosed it be-
 comes evident that he has left open 1 the way to peace and at the same time left the miiitarist leaders of the cen
 tral powers with question they must necessarily answer in a way that will
 lead to peace or confront them with an embarra assing situation in their own countries.
 Among diplomats here the presi- dents communication is regarded as one of his ma Ster strokes. It is point ed out that upon cursory examination
 it may not show such strong terms as some may have desired. All the presi-
 dents advisers, however, are conf- dent that as close consideration reveals its full import it will be apparent that
 it is a long ...ep forward if Germany really means peace and that if she does not it will strip bare another
 hypocrisy Of German diplomacy SC
 completely that the responsibility fol
 prolonging the war never can be
 charged to the allies, even by the
 German people themselves.
 The text of the presidents com
 munication was made public today by
 Secretary Lansing together with tht official text Of Prince Maximilian'. note. now published ill America fo the first time. At the same time off
 cials let it be known that there woult
 be no reply at present to the Austrial note similar to that of the Germal q chancellor. It is not considered fieces sary to deal with Austria until tn l time comes for reply to her domi hating ally.
 The text of the communication , handed to the charge of Switzerlant here, follows:
 Sir: I have the honor to acknow 7 ledge on behalf of the president you note of Oct. 9th, enclosing the com
 munication from the German govern
 ment, to the president; and I am in
 structed by the president to reques s i you to make the following communi = cation to the imperial German chan q cellor: t..-
 a Before making reply to the re
 quest of the imperial German govern
 ment, and in order that that repl
 shall be as candid and straightforward n as the momentous interests involve require, the president of the Unite T States deems it necessary to assur n himself of the exact meaning of tn q note of the imperial chancellor. Doe l the imperial chancellor mean that th IS imperial German government accel e the terms laid down by the presider Le in his address to the congress of tf - United States on the Sth of Januar Ie last, and in subsequent addresses, an d that it's object in entering into dis d cussion would be only to agree upo le the practical details of their applic; = tion?
 g "The president feels bound to sa l. with regard to the suggestion of g
 armistice that he would not feel S, liberty to propose a cessation of arn