Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-11
Blows Will Continue to Fall on
Enemy as Officials
Ponder.
SQUIRM AS HE MAY, HE
MUST ACCEPT U. S. TERMS
Such Action Tantamount to Sur
render, Is View of Diplo-
mats Here.

I'VE are in the midst of the greatest
exercise of the power of this country
that has ever been witnessed or fore
cast, and single day of relaxation Of
that effort would be of tragical dam
age to ourselves and to the rest of the
world
Nothing has happened which would
make it safe or possible to do anything
but push our effort to the utmost. The
time is critical and the response must
be complete"
This statement of President Wilson
in connection with the liberty loan is
construed in official circles to have
bearing upon the pending situation
arising out of the Presidents COM
munication to Prince Maximilian: on
the appeal for an armistice looking to
terms of peace.
May Squirm, But Must Admit.
There is no abatement Of the con-
viction in diplomatic and official quar-
ters here that, sQuirm as it may, the
German government will find itself
compelled to read the terms of Presi-
dent Wilson's three questions as
tantamount to insistence by the al
lies upon unconditional surrender of
the central powers before peace can
be visualized.
ment here that as the case stands to-
day President Wilson's note is not to
be considered as the dictum alone of
the United States. 1t is in fact expo
sition of the attitude of Great Britain,
France, Italy and Belgium as well.
the allies in the Presidents course.
Furthermore, it is reiterated in Of
hclal quarters that to advance the
suggestion of the possibility of te-
dious and possibly entangling diplo-
matte correspondence over the note
is to voice an apprehension which is
not warranted by fact or logic.
No Par1eying Delays.
There will be no repetition of the
Lusitania correspondence. long drawn
out. as some would seem to fear, nor
of the Mexican interchanges. The Sit
uations are entirely different and the
pending one possesses no aspect
lending itself to parleying.
Analying the logic of the situation
as 1t stands today, 1T is pointed out
by officials that Germanys acceptance,
through governmental agency ac-
ceptable to the allies and therefore
responsible to the people of Ger
many, would be equivalent to sur
render
when accompanied by immediate
retrocession of all occupied territory.
That means restoration of Russian
as well as Rumanian territory.
There cannot even be an armistice
with cessation of hostilities until such
action is taken by the central powers.
let alone discussion of terms of final
peace. In the meantime the victo-
rious forces of the allies are driving
ahead hourly, Furnishing the enemy at
every point and showing anything
but lowering of morale consequent
queries
Enemy Feels Blows.
1t is quite evident, it is declared.
that Marshal Foch, Gen. Haig, Gen.
Pershing and Gen. Diaz see nothing
in the language employed by the
President to suggest diminution of
effort or the Withholding of the mill
itary hand. All that they perceive, it
is said. is that the enemy is showing
the effect of their blows by whimper-
ing through diplomacy and they know
full well that the allied government s
in their administrative political
branches have no thought of ham
pering or halting the work of the
military.
1t is believed in Washington that
if Germany comes back with a coun-
ter proposal, as has been limited in
some of the dispatches. that she will
accept the fourteen terms of peace,
'if and provided" for instance. if
concessions such as retroceSsion of
her colonies should be assured, Presi-
dent Wilson will promptly refuse to
engage in further correspondence and
peremptorily dismiss the appeal of
Prince Macmillan as unworthy Of at
tention.
Force to Utmost Unadjourned.
Persons in official authority declare
that President Wilson's words spoken
in his Baltimore address are undiluted
by recent events and stand today as
they were uttered: Force, force in
the utmost, force without stint or
limit, the righteous and triumphant
force which shall make right the law
of the world and cast every selfish
dominion down in the dust"
Before the pressure of that force
is relieved Germany will have to agree
through responsible agencies to do
all the things which will accomplish
what the allies are fighting for.