Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-18

Germany II Is COuNtuSu mat OllC 6NS'S
is as good as another, although there
is no doubt here as to what Will hapI EN-
ultimately. With the American ana al
lied armies advancing steadily toward
the German border, IL Is believed the
only question is how far they must go
before the people OF the TeuIonlc states
arise TO stop INVASION by meeting the
conditions upon which the world Will
Unconditional Surrender
Unconditional surrender by Germany
was the Interpretation today put on
President Wilson's answer TO the Ger
man plea for peace Oy both Americans
and allied military Oihcials here. only py
absolute surrender, they said, can the en-
envy now prevent the terminating SNI
Ience OF his defeat-inVaslon OF Ger
Mere Is no doubt among officers
rhaf ,ouuer or Later the enemy Will be
romp,lis,l 10 accept these unCOmpromlS'
ing terms. The German army IS oelhs
pounded 20 death IN me LleAu' tAeS ue
clare, and the only thlng Germany can
Hope 10 save from the Wreckage Is 10
prevent the war being carried across
ner border And that can DC accom-
plished only al the price OF putting her-
sell as utterly at the mercy Oh the VIC
TORS as did Bulgaria.
Military opinion appeared to be in
full agreement that III enunclallhS inc
policy that absolute safeguards ana
Guarantees OF the present military SUI
pre,nacy'' of American and allied FORCES
must control any armlSuce agreement
President wilson Hau plaCSu IL ESyOiiN
the power OF Gerany to reap any bene-
fit from an insincere move TOWARDS
peace. 49, ~,s...
The question of the agencies to be
employed in framing armlstice condl-
tions naturally will come up only Wheh
Germany has complied with the preSl-
dents other requirements. III seemed
nropable 10 Officers, however, that the
council at Versailles would be the nat
uraI agency. The council itself is COM
posed only of the premiers OF the al
lied nations and President Wilson. The
military and all other boards Oh the
council are advisory only ana their rec
concentrations must be ratlIleo py the
eouncil to become effective.
Without question, Marshal Foch, the
supreme commander, and the field COM
manders, Generals Petain, Halg, Persh-
ing and Diaz would be fully consulted
and the resulting definite terms of sur
render in all probability would be dt
once ratified and laid before Ger
many as the only price for respite nom
attack.
The general elements of the terms
appear to all military officers. 1t was
pointed out that ii was the situation Oh
Today at the front that constituted the
supremacy of which President wilson
speaks, the situation which must oe
adequately Safeguarded. AS competent
military judges see that SITUATION, lhe
German army is in desperate straits,
particularly for man-power. There also
is striking evidence OF waning moraie.
NO EOSS4b4c 0NO"
With the shortage of man-poWer to
meet, it was said that the German gen
eral staff has logically decided upon
shortening its lines TO increase the re-
sisting power OF its reduced forces. TO
accomplish a scientific retreat, now
ever, the lines in the rear must be pre-
pared, organized and equipped In ao
vance and the reserve troops must De
installed in those lines TO receive and
check the shock OF enemy pursuit after
the retreating forces have passed
through to rest and reorsanlze IN the
Under the terrific and never ceasing
hammering of the allied armies, now
ever, they have no time TO arrange LoF
withdrawal on the same scale neces-
sary to meet their shrinking forces
Many officers have feared that by some
diplomatic trickery the enemy would Sc
cure enough time to fall back on the
Rhina, shorten his lines, redistribute
his fnrces, reconstitute his stocks OF
guns and ammunition, and prepare Tor
a long defensive battle. President VII
sons reply has shown the enemy, it was
said, that this program no longer is pos
sible to him. lie must fight II out now
or surrender.
One allied OFFICER, ~SummarlZlnB the
situation, said:
Just as we had the feeling last
March of being always AS hours too late
to stop the drive toward Amiens; now
the enemy dominated by the power and
continuity of our attacks. is no longer
succeeding in filling the gaps. but
while In MarCn our IOICeS WSlS SoA-
stantly increasing, today those of the
enemy decrease"
To safeguard this hard-won suprem-
acy it was said, measures would be re-
ouired in case of an armistice. Should
Germany as a nation cry Hammered.
IL must be treated in the military view
substantially as the individual German
soldier who surrenders is treated; it
must be disarmed and guarded
Guarding
Disarmament of a nation means de-
mobilization To prevent any posi-
bility of rehabilitation, military neces-
sity would require allied occupation of
strategic points of communication. To
insure suppression of submarines, occu7
patton of submarine bases also would be
essential.
Guarding in this sense, would mean
absolute control of the military APP
breaches to Germany, Belgium and the
way to the Rhine valley. The great
fortified zone of Metz-Thionville, erect
ed by the Germans as an offensive
threat on the French border; at the same
time guards the way to the Rhine in
the south Allied occupation of this
fortress, officers thought, would be
certain requirement.
In some such terms must President
Wilson's reply be stated for military
purposes, as there can be no waving
otherwise, it was said, of the only al
Tentative road to absolute victory
through the smashing of the German
army. That is the battle road over
which the allied armies are now march
ing in full force.
TURNOVER DUE TO LETTER
WRITTEN BY PRINCE MAX
LONDON, Monday, Oct. 14.-Dis-