Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-24
TEXT OF WILSON REPLY

wise you that the president has instructed to
ply thereto follows !
''Having received the solemn and explicit assur-
ance of the German government that it unreserved-
ly accepts the terms of peace laid down in his ad
dress to the congress of the United States the
eighth of January, 1913 and the principles of settle
ment enunciated in his subsequent addresses, par
tcularly the address of the twenty-seventh of Sep
teber and that it desires to discuss the details of
their application and that this wish and purpose
emanated, not from those who have hitherto die
tated German policy and conducted the present war
on Germany's behalf, but from ministers who speak
for the ma jority of the reichstag and for
wheming majority of the German peoples; and hav-
ing received also the explicit promise of the present
German government that the humane rules of civil
lied warfare will be observed both land and
by the German armed forces the president of the
United States feels that he cannot decline to take
up with the governments with which the govern
ment of the United States is associated the ques-
ton of armistce
"He deems it his duty say again, however, that
the only armistce he would feel justified in submit
ting for consideration would be one which should
leave the United States and the powers associated
with her in position to enforce any arrangements
that may be entered into and to make a renewal of
hostilities the part of Germany impossible.
The president has, therefore, transmitted his
correspondence with the present German authorities
to the government with which the government of the
United States is associated beigerent, with the
suggestion that, if those governments disposed
to effect the terms and principles indcat
of the United States be asked submit the gov
ernments associated against Germany the necessary
of such armistice will fully protect the
interests of the peoples involved and ensure to the
associated governments the unrestricted power to
safeguard and enforce the details of the peace to
which the German government has agreed, provided
they deem such armistice possible from the mill
: tary point OF view.
''Should such terms of armistice be suggested,
their acceptance by Germany will afford the best
concrete evidence of her unequovcal acceptance of
the terms and principles of peace from which the
whole action proceeds.
"The president would deem himself lacking in
candor did he point out in the frankest possible
terms the why extraordinary safeguards must
be demanded. Significant and important the con-
stitutional changes to be which spoken OF
by the German foreign secretary in his note of the
Goth of October it does not appear that the prin-
cple of government responsible to the German
people has yet been fully worked out that any
guarantees either exist contemplation that
the atera of principle and of practice par
TALLY agreed upon will be permanent.
"Moreover, it does not appear that the heart of
! the present difficulty has been reached 1t may be
that future have been brought under the con-
troll of the German people, but the present war has
not been; and it with the present that are
dealing.
at is evident that the German people have no
of commanding the acquiescence Of the mill
tary authorities of the empire in the popular will
that the power of the king of Prussia to control the
policy of the empire is unimpaired; that the deter
mining initiative still remains with those who have
hitherto been the masters of Germany.
"Feehng that the whole peace of the world de
pends plain speaking and straightforward I'd
action the president deems it his duty to say with
out any attempt to soften what may harsh
words, that the nations OF the world do not and
not trust the word of those who have hitherto been
the masters of German policy and to point once
more that in concluding peace and attempting to un
do the infinite injuries an d inJustices of this
the government of the United States cannot dea
with any but veritable representatives of the Ger
people who have been assured of genuine con
stitutional standing the real rulers of Germany
''If it must deal with the military masters and the
monarchial autocrats of Germany if it is like
ly to have deal with them later in regard the in
ternatonal obligations of the German empire il
must demand, not peace negotiations but surrender
Nothing can be gained by leaving this essential thing
unsaid."
Accept sir, the renewed assurances of high con
| sideraton. ROBERT LANSING.
Mr. Frederick Oedern, charge d'afaires of Switzer