The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-10-22
GERMAN ANSWER
IS CAMOUFLACE
ALLIES BELIEVE
Praising of Note Leaves Way
Open for Endless Quibbling,
Diplomats Charge.
(Ry Associated press)

LONDON, Oct. 22.-The German re-
ply to President Wilson is regarded
here as mot business but mere argu-
ment and protestation." In govern
ment, diplomatic and political circles
the view is that it is not reply, but
simply resort to verbiage designed
to cover the absence of reply. One
highly placed official described it as
BADLY camouflaged insincerity." The
government has not considered the re-
ply in detail, although Premier Lloyd
George and his colleagues held pro-
tracted deliberations today
Henry M. Hyndman, leader of the
British Socialists, said:
"The reply is simply another piece
of shuffling. l hope President Wilson
| will answer it very abruptly and brief
ly. At any rate, he has given EN-
peror William an opportunity to say
that he and his people are one in the
same sort of duplicity and treachery
to which we have been treated through
out the war.
IF President Wilson were to accept
tbs reply as a basis for negotiation,
in my opinion, he would simply be sac
rificing the dignity Of the position
which he has worthily gained"
Must Keep on Preparing.
Frederick George Holloway, parlia.
mentary secretary to the minister of
| munitions, said:
"The note says that evacuation and
! armistice must be based on the actual
standard of power on both sides in the
! field. Does that phrase cover relative
strength at sea, relative strength In
| production of guns, shells, airplanes
| and material? If not, why are they
ruled out?
| "Only our leaders, Premier Lloyd
George, Premier Clemenceau and Pres
| ident Wilson, on the political side, and
Marshal Foch. Field Marshal Haig and
F.; General Pershing, on the military SIDE
can say if the note means that Ger
many is at last prepared to face the
| facts and draw the inevitable con-
! clusions.
For the rest Of us, our duty is
plain. 1t is to go on producing NUM-
tions or fighting as if it were at the
beginning of the war rather than ap-
preaching the inevitable end. The
way to make an early peace is to be
ready for long war"
| REPLY HELD EQUIVOCAl
| PARIS, Oct. 22.-The German reply
to President Wilson was received
here too late for the afternoon papers.
but was eagerly discussed in official
circles and in parliament. Among
+, deputies of all shades of opinion, the
/ impression was first of all that the re-
! ply betrayed more than previous COM
munications the state of depression
and the decentralization of the German
people as the result Of the allies vic
tories.
| AS whole, the note is found to be
| equivocal and tortuous and platitudin
! ously phrased as to leave the door
| open for all sorts of quibbling. No
where is there evidence in the reply
! of a genuine desire to accept the only
way in which peace can be concluded,
according to expression Of opinion
here. On the contrary. all that is ap-
| parent is the urgent desire of the Ger
i man general staff to get an armistice
at any price in order to reorganize its
| reserves of men and material. There
fore, it is generally believed that the
reply is not likely to be considered at
| Washington.
| The Figaro says that the men who
| COlilDlucu W lhO iSpiS " Sk'i-
dent Wilson have translated the an
guish, disarray and powerless anger
of the people in whose name they pre-
tend to speak"
| Typical Document.
/ "The German note is typical docu-
ment," says the Matin.
/ "In it are expressed the sentiments
J of barbarous people who failed in a
foray There is not word in the
note which reveals that stoical
strength of which France and other
nations have so often given proof in
! misfortune Nevertheless, by rem
nant of that lying trickery innate in
the Teuton, our ADVERSARY seeks still
! to deceive himself by lulling himself
! against all evidence and hopes by one
doesn't know what crazy illusions, to
succeed in deluding Wilson by euph-
i isms and equivocations."
! The Journal says the note seeks to
divide the allies and seeks also to
draw from President Wilson formal
declaration that nothing will be ask
ed contrary to the honor of the Ger
man people but that an avowal of de-
/ feat it is"
| Col. De Thomaszon, in the Petit
Journal says: 'The note is proof
that the German high command con-
] Continued on Prre Eight)