Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-22
THE NEW GERMAN NOTE

THE NEW GERMAN NOTE
The new German note, like all communications ema-
mating from the German empire, whether purporting to
voice the sentiments OF the German autocracy or Of the
German people, is to be received with reserve, as it un-
|%doubtedly it will be by all the Allied governments. AS it
stands it furnishes no basis for peace. it fails to create
conditions which would make an armistice desirable, and
it can inspire 10 confidence in the good faith or good in
tent Of the German government which is making the
lovertures.
The note is very evidently a continuation of the effort
to confuse thought and becioud issues. In its first sentence
the note says that lin accepting the proposal for an evac-
iuauon of occupied territories the German government
has proceeded on the assumption that the procedure of
Evacuation and the, conditions of armistice should be- ,eft
ito. the judgment Of the military advisers, and that the
actual standard Of military power should form the basis
and be safesuarded and guaranteed.
There has been no proposal from the United States
or its associates. When the president of the United States
was given the first German note to be forwarded by him
to the Allies. in this note an armtstice was proposed. The
president replied that he would not even consider the for
warding Of such a request except upon the understanding
that all occupied territory should be evacuated by Ger
many. Upon Germany's expression Of willingness to do
this she was warned that under no circumstances would
there be considered an armistice save one arranged by the
Allied military commant in the field, and that the mill
tary advantages now posaessed by the Allies would in no
case be impaired. Germany falsified the record by seek
ing to make it appear that the Allies are asking for an
armistice. E4G @
Tricks Of language Of this sort abound in the note.
The denial of the charge Of cruelty and inhumanity may
be dismissed with contempt. The facts are too plain and
too well understood, and there can be no debate on that
point. a." -
The significant features of the note are its categorical
admission that the German government has not hereto
fore been a responsible government: its effort to create
the impression that the government as now consituteo is
truly democratic; and its continued omission Of all men,
ton Of the kaiser. -.
The admission merely sets forth that which the world
already knows, that the. German government has m the
past been in its essentials a despotism, with supreme pow
er in the hands Of the kaiser, who was influenced in his
acts. of course, as all despots are, by satellites of various
grades and characters. That has been officially and per-
sistently denied. 1t is now officially admitted.
The developments of the past few weeks in Berlin
have been so shrouded in secrecy that with the. knowledre
at hand it is impossible to place any satisfactory estimate
on what has been done. Certain governmental chansds
naye taken place. That much is certain. The government,
in a way. has undergone a form of liberalization. But we
have not the slightest evidence that a new government
or a new constitution has been created by the German
people or with their consent. There has been neither in
form nor in substance a recognition that the right to gov.
iSAA . oeISu III tHe people,. IN n contrary, the proceed.
ue appears to have been in strict compliance with the
ancient and abominable doctrine Of the divine right Of the
sovereign. Germany has been granted a new constitution.
or a revised one. not because the people have decreed that
this shall be done. but because the kaiser, as the source
OF all power and the giver of all good, has been >graciously
pleased to grant one. And we have no assurance that the
hand that rendered will not withdraw the gift when op-
portunity offers or policy demanda
As a practical proposition we may feel certain that
whatever Of democratic form has been injected into the
German constitution will remain there. For the momen,
that does not concern us. We are dealing now with the
German armies in the field, and while Berlin will un.
doubleday continue to make ambiguous offers for neace
50 long as the military caste is an influential element IN
the government, it is to the German armies that our at
tention must and will be directed. That is being done.
While Allied diplomats are dealing in diplomatic fashion
with German proposals, General Foch and the men under
him are dealing in man-fashion with the German armies.
and everything Is satisfactory.