Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1918-10-26
GERMAN NOTE FAILS
TO ACCEPT TERMS
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER IS
NOT MENTIONED BY BOCHE,
WHO WOULD ARGUE.
Protests Against the Reproach OF
illegal and Inhuman Actions on
Land and Sea, but Avoids Big
Issues In Replying to Wilson.

to President Wilson with note whlch,
though no one is prepared to say IL
will lead the president even to con-
tinue exchanges on the subject OF an
armistice and peace, at least mas
served almost to. bring CONVICTION mere
that the people of Germany actually
are taking the reins of government
and sincerely desire peace on any
terms the United States and the allies
are willing to give.
in accepting the proposal for an
evacuation of occupied territories, the
German government has started from
the assumption that the procedure OF
this evacuation and of these condl-
tions OF an armistice should be left TO
the Judgment of the military advisers
and that the actual standard of power
on both sides in the field has to form
the basis for arrangements safe
guarding this standard.
THE German government suggests
to the president that an opportunity
should be brought about for fixing the
details. 1t trusts that the president
of the United States will approve or
no demand which would be irreconcll-
able with the honor of the German
people and with opening way to
peace of justice.
The German government protests
against the reproach of Illegal and In
human actions made against the Ger
man land and sea forces and thereby
against the German people. For the
covering of a retreat distractions Will
always be necessary, and they are car
ried out in so far as is permitted by
law. The German troops
are under most strict instructions to
spare private property and to exercise
care for the population to the best OF
their ability. Where transgressions
occur in spite of these instructions the
guilty are being punished
The German government further
lenies that the German navy in sink
ng ships has ever purposely destroyed
ifeboats with their passengers. The
German government proposes with re-
,ard to all those charges that the facts
,e cleared up by neutral commissions.
I'm order to avoid anything that
night hamper the work of peace the
ierman government has caused or
lers to be dispatched to all submarine
precludlng the torpedo
ng of passenger ships without, how
yer, for technical reasons, being able
o guarantee that these orders will
each every single submarine at sea
efore its return.
AS fundamental condition for |
eace, the president prescribes the des-
ruction of every arbitrary power that
an separately, secretly and of its own
ingle choice disturb the peace of the
World. To this the German government
eplies:
Hitherto the representation of the
'eople in the German empire has not
ormation of the government.
The constitution did not provide
or concurrence of representation of
he people of decisions in peace and
var. These conditions have just now
Undergone fundamental change. A
lew government has been formed In
complete accordance with the wishes
(principle) of the representation of the
people, based on equal. universal. Sc
cret, direct franchise.
'SThe leaders of the great parties of
the reichstag are members of this gov
eminent. In the future no government
can take or continue In office without
possessing the confidence of majority
Of the relchstag.
'The responsibility of the chancellor
Of the empire to the representation of
the people Is being legally developed
and safeguarded. The first act of the
the relchstag bill to alter the CON
stituti0n of the empire so that the con
sent of the representation of the people
is required for decisions on war and
peace.
THE permanence Of the new system
Is, however, guaranteed not only by
constitutional safeguards, but also by
the unshakable determination of the
German people whose vast majority
stands behind these reforms and de-
mand their energetic continuance. -
THE question of the presldent--with
whom he and the governments asso-
ciated against Germany are dealing
Is, therefore, answered in clear, I'M
equivocal manner by the statement
that the offer of peace and an armis-
tice mas come from government which
Is free from any arbitrary and irres-
ponsible influence, is supported by the
approval of an overwhelming majority
Of the &c. ran people.