The Elbert County tribune., 1918-10-18
WILSON'S REPLY
TOGERMANPLEA
FOR ARMISTICE
w..,ern Newspaper Union New. Service.

President Wilson's reply to Germany,
delivered to the charge of the Swiss
legation, follows:
,,ir-ln reply to TIE communication
of the German government dated th'
18th inst. which you handed me today.
have the honor to request you to
tr:-nsmit the following answer;
The unqualified acceptance by the
prel ent German government and bF a
large majority of the reichstag OF the
terms laid down by the President of
the United States of America in his ad-
dress to the Congress OF the United
States on Jan. s. 1918, and in his sub
ssqcent addresses jlctifies the Presi-
dent in making frank and direct
statement OF his decision with regard
to the communications of the German
government of Oct ana IL, 1918.
1T must be clearly understood that
the process OF evacuation and the
conditions of an armistice are matters
which must be left to the Judgment
and advice of the military advisers OF
the government of the United States
and the allied governments, and the
President feels 1t his duty to say that
no arrangement can be accepted by
the government OF the United Stat
which does not provide absolutely sat
isfactory safeguards and guarantee
of the maintenance of the present mil
itary supremacy of the armies of
United States and the allies in the
field.
He feels confident that he can safe
L. nIu no
judgment and decision of the allied
governments.
The President feels that 1t is also
his duty to add that neither the gov
ernment of the United States, nor, he
is quite sure, the governments with
which the government of the United
States is associated as belligerent
will consent to consider an armistice
SO long as the armed forces of Ger
many continue the illegal and inhu-
name practices which they still persist
in
at the very time that the German
government approaches the govern
ment of the United States with propos-
ais of peace its submarines are en-
gagged in sinking passenger ships at sea
and not the ships alone, but the very
boats in which their passengers and
crews seek to make their way to safe
ty; and in their present enforced with
drawal from Flanders and France the
German armies are pursuing course
| of wanton destruction which has al
ways been regarded as in direct yio-
| Iation of the rules and practices of
civilized warfare Cities and villages,
II not destroyed. are being stripped of
all they contain not only, but often of
their very inhabitants. The nations
associated against Germany cannot be
| expected 10 agree to u cessation of
arms while acts Of inhumanity, spolia-
ton and desolation are being contin
ued which they justly look upon with
horror and with burning hearts.
ut is necessary, also in order that
there may be no possibility of misun-
derstanding, that the President should
very solemnly call the attention OF the
government OF Germany to the Ian
guage and plain intent of ore of the
terms of peace which the German gov
ernment has now accepted. 1t is con
tanned in the address of the President
delivered at Mount Vernon on the
| Fourth of July last.
1T is as follows: The destruction
of every arbitrary power anywhere
that can separately, secretly and of it's
single choice disturb the peace of the
world; or. II 1t cannot be presently de-
stroyed. at least It's reduction to yir-
tual impotency.'
"The power which has hitherto con
trolled the German nation is of the
sort here described 1t is within the
choice of the German nation to alter
| it. The Presidents words just quoted
naturally constitute condition prece-
dent to peace. II peace is to come by
the action of the German people them
selves. The President feels bound to
say that the whole process of peace
will. in his judgment. depend upon the
definiteness and the satisfactory char
acter of the guarantees which can be
given in this fundamental matter 1t
is Indispensable that the governments
associated against Germany should
know beyond peradventure with
whom they are dealing.
"The President will make a separate
reply to the royal and imperial gov
ernment of Austria-Hungary
Accept. sir, the renewed assur-
ances OF my high consideration.
(Slgned.) ROBERT LANSING
More Deaths from "FIu" In Denver.
Denver, Oct. 15. Twenty-seven
deaths, making a total OF seventy