The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-12
ElR[Y REPLY EXPECTED.
WASHINGTON BELIEVES PRINCI
MAX WILL SEEK MIDDLE
COURSE.
Chancellor Must Answer President
Quickly Or His Cabinet Will Fall
But Will Attempt To Create Discus
sion.

Washington, Oct 9.-An early re
sponse to President Wilson's note OF
inquiry to the German chancellor /
expected by American officials. While
realizing that an answer to the three
pertinent questions put to the Prince
Of Baden will be very difficult If the
original proposals Of the German gov
ernment were not sincere, officials are
confident internal conditions in Ger
many and the tremendous exigencies
Of the military situation will force
speedy action by the chancellor If he
hopes to prolong the existence OF his
cabinet beyond few days.
So far as the hold of the govern
ment upon the people is concerned
conditions in Austria are even fal
worse than those in Germany. This
fact is calculated to strongly affeo.
the German government, which is un
derstood to entertain grave doubts OF
the strength Of purposes Of the Qua
Monarchy and to fear that Austria,
or perhaps Hungary, acting independ-
emily, will follow Bulgaria in seeking
an unconditional peace. This would
leave Germany to wage the wal
alone, for it is foregone conclusion
that Turkey already is lost to the
central alliance.
The pointed inquiry directed to
Prince Maximilians as to whether he
is speaking merely for the constituted
authorities Of the empire who have
so far conducted the war, will, it IS
believed, be very embarrassing: II
the response is in the affirmative Ger:
many's proposal will be rejected, as
the president has already given no
tice that he will have no dealing:
with such authorities.
The powerful Socialist elements IL
the Reichstag also are counted upon
to resent any such statement by the
chancellor is directly in conflict with
the reichstag resolution Of July, 1911
and with the very recent pledges to
make the cabinet representative
body, under which the Socialists were
enticed to take part N the govern
ment. On the other hand, if Max
imilian attempts to repudiate tn
military party he undoubtedly vii
bring about a demand from that Still:
powerful organization for his retire
ment, and the adoption of q reaction
ary policy.
The general belief here is that the
chancellor will endeavor to find a
middle course and con1ine himself in
his reply to half way admissions hop
ing thus to begin a long diplomatic
discussion which 1t develop diff
ferences between entente allies
and America as to war aims, and to
lower the morale of the armies op-
posed to the Central powers.
Any such move is certain Of fall
ure and in the meantime the German
armies in the west are being subject
ed to increasingly hard blows from
Foch's forces--blows which
are adding to the difficulties Of the
German high command in eNtricating
their forces from an already serious
The fact that American Ambassa-
dor Sharp is making a personal inves-
tigation of the havoc wrought by the
Germans in their forced retirement
from French and Belgian territory,
has led to the belief that it is the pur-
pose of the State department to fully
support the enormous claims OF the
damages which Germany must meet
as a condition Of peace. SO far the
American government has not indi-
Gated a disposition to join with the
entente allies in making threat to
destroy a Germany city or town III
retaliation for every such conlmun.
ity destroyed by the Germans III
France and Belgium. but Mr.. Sharpe's
might be regarded as
also indicating a purpose to join in
such representations, should the facts
sustain the press reports as to the eX-
tent Of the German atrocities.
on cNCTaT WORK