The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-14
BUY LIBERTY BONDS
VIEWED WITH SUSPICION

Washington, Oct. 13.-Germany's
reply to President Wilson's inquiry,
intercepted as it was being sent by
the great wireless towers at Nauen
and forwarded here last night in an
official dispatch from France, de-
clares that Germany is ready to ac-
cept President Wilson's peace terms,
evacuate the invaded territory as al
prerequisite to an armistice and that
the bid for peace represents the Ger
man people as well as the govern
ment.
Although on its face the text of
the German note seems to be COM
plete acceptance of President Will
sons terms, the people of the United
States and the allied countries should
be cautioned against accepting it as
such compliance of the presidents
demands as will mean immediate ces-
sation of hostilities.
AS President Wilson was in New
York last night and reserved COM
ment on the note, his views cannot
be stated now and none of his official
family here in Washington cared to
speak for him.
Without any attempt to discount
what appeared to be, at casual
reading, an acceptance of the terms
the president has laid down, officials.
here were very positive as not accept
ing the German note as document
which means the end of the war. 1t
needs to be examined and fully con-
sidered before the views of the Am
erican government can be stated.
Should President Wilson finally de-
eide that there is enough sincerity in
Germany's proposition to transmit
it to the allies. as the German chan
cellor requested, it should be borne in
mind that Great Britain, France and
the other entente nations must be
taken into consideration for decision
then as to whether an armistice
should be granted or whether discus
sions should be undertaken to carry
out the details of the application of
President Wilson's peace terms.
Should Not Relax Efforts
The greatest danger facing the peo-
pie Of the United States, officials said
here, was that they might hastily con-
slider Germany's proposition as the
unconditional surrender which the CO.
belligerents demand, and relax their
efforts to continue the victories at
arms and carry over the Fourth Lib
erty Loan. On every side in official
quarters it was stated that this view
of the situation could not be placed
before the public too strongly.
Conceding the possibility the pro-
posal for an armistice might be ac-
cepted, and that the German accept
ance of President Wilson's peace
terms might be satisfactory, the ques-
ton, in the opinion of officials and
diplomats here would center in "who
is the present German government 2"
If the present German government
is the government of Hohenzollern
there seems no doubt that the Ger
man reply will be unacceptable.
THE GERMAN NOTE
The text of the German note in an
swer to President Wilson's message
is as follows:
SIN reply to the question of the
president of the United States of Am
erica the German government here
by declares:
"The German government has ac-
cepted the terms laid down by Presi-
dent Wilson in his address of Janu-
airy the eighth and in his subsequent
addresses on the foundation of a per-
manent peace of justice. Consequent
~ it's object in entering into discus
sions would be only to agree upon
practical details of the application of