The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-08

While there may be some ques-
 tton as to the form or reply, there
 Is no question whatever as to its
 nature. It may not the short
 and forcefuI term "unconditional
 surrender,r which would reflect
 the sentiment which has come from
 the spokesmen of the nation, but
 1t Is sure to convey to the Ger
 man government very clearly the
 fact that nothing less than the
 terms already laid down can be
 accepted, and that those terms cam
 not be made merely "the basis for neg0tiation.o As to an armfstice, such a step would be looked upon
 as suicidal and not to be thought
 of.
 By this time, Prince Maximilian's note. and that of Baron Burian, the Austro Hungarian foreign minister, in official form, undoubtedly are in the foreign offices in London. Paris and Rome, forwarded by President Wilson, as requested by the central powers
 The exchanges now going on have a twofold purpose:
 
 ment would not proceed to speak for the other belligerents on a matter of such importance without consultation among them, and 1t is purposed to avoid the mistake of making a curt and peremptOry rejection which could be used by the central powers. before their own people, to bolster up the arr gument that they nre waEing 4defensive, war and thnt the Ob- fects of the cO-belligerents are to "destroys them.
 ONE OF TWO COURSES
 Lacking official announcement or what the President has done, It IS highly probable that he had taken one of these two courses:
 Either he has asked PreMfers Lloyd George, Cfcmenceau ana Or- lands to advise him of their re- plies or more likely still the Pres-
 ident already has formulated a re-
 ply and asked the premiers Tor
 their acQuiescence.
 The temper of debate in the Senate today and the general tone of pup lie opinion in the United States as expressed in the newspaper comment are very fair index of the govern mentss views The consensus of opin-  offer should be rejected: the .practi- cally unanimous public opinion as Ie- flected in newspapers all over tine country was that no peace terms short of unconditional surrender can be dis cussed.
 It is very clear that the reply will be not only an answer to Germany and her allies, but a statement for the his- torical record of the world. It is realized on every hand that rejection of a peace offer must be convinc- ing one and one which will justify the prolonging of the war to the ends sought It is realized that it must be convincing to the people of Great Britain. France. Italy and the United States, so that they may be warned against the insidious danger of throw ing away the hard-earned victory so near their grasp, and at the same time leave no time for the militarist leaders of the central powers to lure their people on to more bIoodshed and sac- rifice.
 MAY ADDRESS CONGRESS-
 There is a suggestion that to carry out this purpose more fully President Wilson, after dispatching the reply. may decide to address Congress and state in detail the reasons which cause the allies to reject the proposal. There is no official indication that the Pres ident plans such a course. but 1t is being discussed among many possi- bilities.
 Col r. NJ. House, the Presidents constant adviser, and personal repre- sentative on many confidential CT rands, arrived at the White House to- night. His coming followed a busy day for the President in which all other bualness was put aside, recreation was abandoned and except for an hour or two given over to entertaining Sir Eric Ge1des. first lord of the British admiralty. at luncheon, MT. Wilson spent the day in his study It was said he was writing.
 The official communication from Germany was delivered to the White House this morning by the charge of the Swiss legation. ana the note from Austria WAS taken to the state de- partnneft and handed to Secretary Lansing by a1r. Ekengren, the minis- Tor ffam Sweden. The President al- roady Ind tho unofficial text as trans- mittcd by the Associated Press before
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