The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-10-17
Nd FARLEY WITH
MILITARY LORDS
ARMlsTIcE IMPOSSIBLE WHILE
ATROCITIES GO ON.
THE HUN MUST GIVE UP GUN
And Prove That He Really Wants
Peace Before There Can Be
Discussion of Terms.-FuIl
Text of Reply.

|
dent Wilson answered Germany
peace offer with note declaring anew
that there can be no peace with a
+ German government controlled by a
military autocracy and no thought oil
an armistice while German atrocities
continue on land and sea.
The official Interpretation Of the
notes as openly expressed, was: "Au'
tocracy must 60"
The Text Of the Reply.
i The text of the Presidents answer
follows:
! Sir: In reply to the communica-
Ition of the German government dated
the twelfth instant which you handed
me today. | have the honor to re-
quest YOU 10 transmit the following
IanSwer:
1.-The unqualified acceptance ny
1.-The present German government ana
by Il large majority of the reichstag
i of the terms laid down by the presl-
dent of the United Statot of America
lin his address to the congress or the
United States. on Jan. 8, 1918, and in
his subsequent addresses justifies the
president in making a frank and di.
rect statement of his decision with re-
gard to the communications OF the
German government of the eighth and
twelfth of October. 1913.
' 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
e advisers of the government of the
United States and the allied govern
! ments, and the president feels it his
duty to say that no arrangement can
tbe accepted by the government of the
United States which does not provide
absolutely satisfactory safeguards
and guarantees of the maintenance of
the present military supremacy of
the armies of the United States and
the armies of the allies in the field
THE president feels confidently
that he can safely, assume that this
will be also the Judgment and decision
of the allied governments.
Murder Must Cease.
The president feels that it is also
his duty to add that neither the gov
eminent of the United States nor, he
is quite sure. the governments with
which the government of the United
States is associated as a belligerent
viii consent to consider an armistice
so long as the armed forces Of Ger
L1 ;rI,,
man practices which they still persist
in.
AT the very time that the German
government approaches the govern
ment of the United States with pro-
ipoSals 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
safety; and in their present enforced
withdrawal from Flanders and
France, the German armies are pur-
suing a course of wanton destruction
(which has always been regarded as
in direct violation of the rules and
practices of civilized warfare.
"'Cities and villages, if not de-
stroyed, are being stripped of all they
contain not only, but often of their
very inhabitants.
1.-The nations associated against
Germany cannot be expected to agree
10 a cessation of arms while acts of
inhumanity, spoliation and desolation
IRE being continued which they look
upon with horror and with burning
hearts.
"'It is necessary also, in order that
here may be no possibility of misun-
lerstandinG, that the president should
very solemnly call the attention of
he government of Germany to the
! language and plain intent of one of
the terms Of peace which the German
government has now accepted. It is
| contained in the address of the presi-
lent delivered at Mount Vernon on
he Fourth of July last. 1t is as fol-
ows:
Arbitrary Power Must End.
1.-THE destruction of every arbi.
.rary power anywhere that can sepa-
'ately, secretly and of its single
choice disturb the peace of the world:
)r. If it cannot be presently destroy
I'd, at least its reduction to virtual
impotency."
1.-The power which has hitherto |
controlled the German nation is of |
the sort here described 1t is within
he choice of the German nation to
alter it. The presidents words Just
quoted naturally constitute a condi. |
lion precedent to peace, If peace is
to come by the action of the German
people themselves.
1.-The president feels bound to say
that the whole process of peace will,
In his judgment, depend upon the
deiiniteness and satisfactory charac-
ter of the guarantees which can be
given in this fundamental matter.
at Is indispensable that the gov
ernments associated against Germany
should know beyond peradventure
with whom they are dealing