The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-10-22
In Government of Germany
and Also on Peace and
War Question
GERMANY'S REPLY
is NOT DEFINITE
Makes Further Bid for Ne
gotiations as to
Peace

of the German reply to President Viii,
son, as received by wireless, was as fol-
lows:
In accepting the proposal for an evac-
uation Of occupied territories, the Ger
man government has started from the
assumption that the procedure Of this
evacuation and of the conditions of an
armistice should be left to 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 and guaranteeing this stand
ard
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 Unit
ed States will approve of no demand
which would be irreconsilable with the
honor of the German people and with
opening way to peace of justice.
The German government protests the
reproaeh OF illegal and inhumane actions
made against the German land and sea
forces, and thereby against the German
people. For the covering of retreat
distinctions viii always be necessary
and they are carried out in so far as is
permitted by international law. The Ger
man troops are under the most strict in
struction to spare private property and
to exercise care for the population TO the
best Of their ability. Where transgres-
sons occur in spite of these instructions
the guilty are being punished
The German government further de-
MES that the German navy in sinking
ships has ever purposely destroyed life
boats with their passengers. The Ger.
man government proposes with regard
to an those charges that the facts be
cleared UP by neutral commissions.
In order to avoid anything that might
hamper the work Of peace, the German
government has caused orders 20 be dis
patched TO all submarine commanders
precluding the torpedoing Of passenger
ships without, however, for technical
reasons, being able to guarantee that
these orders win reach every single sub
marine at sea before its return,
As a fundamental condition for peace
the president prescribes the destruction
81 every arbitrary power that can sep.
arately. secretly, and Of its own single
choice disturb the peace OF the world
To this the German government replies ;
Hitherto the representation Of the peo-
pie in the German empire has not been
endowed with an influence on the for
nation Of the government.
The constitution did not provide Tor a
concurrence OF representation Of the PEG.
pie in decisions of peace and war. These
conditions have Just now undergone a
fundamental change. A new government
has been formed in complete accordance
with the wishes lprineiples-l Of the rep
resentation Of the people, based on equal
universal. secret, direct franchise.
The 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 a majority
Of the Reichstag.
The responsibility Of the chancellor OF
the empire TO the Representatives OF the
people Is being legally developed and safe.
guarded. The first act Of the new gov
eminent has been to lay before the
Reichstag a bill to alter the constitu-
tion Of the empire 50 that the consent
Of the representation Of the people is re-
aured for decisions on war and peace
The permanence OF the new system Is
however, guaranteed not only by consti.
tutiona safeguards, but also by the I'M
shakeable determination Of the German
people whose vast majority stands be
hind these reforms and demands THEN
energetic continuance
The question Of the president with
whom he and the governments associ.
ated against Germany are dealing il
therefore answered in clear, unequivo-
cal manner by the statement that the
offer Of peace and an armistice has come
from a government which is free from
any arbitrary and irresponsible influence
and is supported by the approval Of an
overwhelming majority Of the German
people, Soil