The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-09

German Government to come into court
and show why its application should not
be dismissed on the ground OF fraud.
The burden OF proof Is thus put wholly
upon the Imperial Government, but It 10
easy to translate the Presidents note
into q decision OF the court.
That decision in substance IL that the
United States will not participate in any
peace discussion in which the terms laid
down by the President are merely "a
basis for peace negotiations" They
must be accepted, and nothing left to
negotiation but the practical details Of
their application.
The ostensible object of this German
peace offensive was to convince the Ger
man people that their Government IL
wholeheartediy for peace. even on Presi-
dent Wilson's own terms, and that the
blood guilt for q proiongation OF the war
rests upon the Allies with their will to
destruction" All this was undertaken
preparatory to steeling German morale
for the inevitable German retreat and
for the defensive warfare which the I'm
perfai Government must henceforth
F, wage. The President has simply shifted
the issue back TO Germany. and left the
| German Government to get out of the
| trap as best II can which was 90 caro-
| fully set for the United States and the
Allies.
New York Times-Before the request
| of the Chancellor can have formal con-
| sideration and reply the President must
be informed that the German Govern
| ment accepts the terms laid down In his
addresses and that the object OF The dis
| cussions proposed would be only &c
| agree upon practical details Of their ap.
| plication": also whether the Imperia,
Chancellor Is S,esking merely for tht
constituted authorities of the Empire
! who have so far dictated the war"
| Before he will even bring the German
| request for an armistice before our al
lies. Germany must withdraw from al
the lands she has invaded. This Ia not
an answer to the German communication
! which conveyed the request. Mr.. Wilson
| explicitly states one condition and plain
| ly points out two other conditions com
I pitance with which must precede the Civ
| ing of n formal answer and any discus
sion OF the conditions OF peace. II Il
| open to Germany to say that this Is a de
| mand for surrender. That 10 what 4
| amounts to. and the President speaks
what is IN the minds of the American
people when he makes the surrender o
= Germany a necessary preliminary to an!
talk about peace.
Prefers Surrender Demand.
The Tribune-A great majority o
Americans, and especially nearly tw,
million who are 'over there" will wish,
as we wish, that II had been not in In
CURRY but a reply. and a reply In fou
words-"We demand unconditional sur
render"
We are not involved in a correspond
ence with our enemies on the subject, no
OF surrender, not OF peace, but OF ''peac
negotiations" on tine basis OF Presiden
Wilson's programme
Our conclusion Is that President WI
some inquiry" was intended by him no
to express the state OF mind in this coun
try toward a fa!thless people who hav
no word to pledge for anything and ca
no more DO trusted to keep an armistic
than to respect white nass and Re
Cross insignia. but TO make II impossible
for the Imperial German Government (
capitalize its insincerity in terms o
morale by saying TO the German people
I'VE have asked IN vain for peace o,
Presidents Wilson's own conditions
New York Herald--Americans fee
that there should be nothing that SAVIOR,
even remotely of diplomatic weakening
Unfortunately the Presidents note OF in
quiry is likely to be so construed.
Peace is a long way of. for there car
be no peace until there is unconditiona
surrender by the enemy. We have jus
begun to fight.