Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-23
PRESIDENT GIVES
NO |NT|MAT|ONO OF
NATURE OF REPLY
May Be Largely Guided by
Opinion of Supreme
War Council.
OFFICIAL TEXT OF GERMAN
NOTE REACHES WASHINGTON
Will Be Delivered to Secretary
Lansing This Morning by
Swiss Charge.
SLIGHT CHANGE IN yERBIAGE
heiicvcd Careful Translation Will
Clear Up Obscure Points in
Wireless Version.
OFFICIAL TEXT OF GERMAN
NOTE REACHES WASHINGTON
SLIGHT CHANGE IN vERBIAGl
{ By Associated Press. q!

By Associated PreS5.I
\ WASHINGTON, October 22-Tic pre-
HaiiinG belief here tonight is that any
action President Wilson may take as
result OF the new German note will
await. and largely be guided by. a de-
c!sion OF the supreme war council in
France.
Shrewd diplomatic observers and
some officials take this view, though
no inttmation OF his own attitude has
come from the President. because. adj
'nitted!y, the one question Immediately
~ issue is military problem-that Of
me evacuation of invaded territory by
ne German armies as the only condi-
tion upon which thc plea for an armis-
Icc even VIII be given consideration.
The Germans now arc evacuatinE
heigium and Northern France AS rap
.ol! az they can move before tho sweep
OF the allied and American soldiers and
still maintain their organizations Since
thc government at Berlin says they
want TO get out without further fight
ing, apparently. the issue Isl one for the
allied war council TO determine
whether II shall be suggested through
PRESIDENT Wilson that General Foch be
appiied TO for terms, or whether with
out further diplomatic parlcy the ap-
proach of white flag from the Ger
man lines shall be awaited.
the official text Of the German note
cached the Swiss legation here By
iiHered at the State Department be-
cause the entirc day was spent at the
legation on the tedious task of decod-
ing the document and preparing an
English translation OF tho German text.
The translation was made with IN.
:reaest care By Frederick Oederlin.
he SWISS charge, because there are OBJ
scure phrases in the unofficial version
received yesterday by wireless, which
may be cleared UP by more ACCURATE G
rsndecing OF the German. When the
cnarge's work was done Secretary Ian
sing had Jeff his Office. and an engage
nent was made for delivery Of the note
AZ 10 o'clock Tomorrow morning
PRESIDENT IN NO HURRY
FOR OFFICIAL VERSION
This incident In itself was pointed TO
iater as evidence that exchanges be-
tween London. Parts and Washington
nave been proceeding since the arrival
OF the wireless version. and that pend
ing word from the war council OF what
the military situation demands, the
President is in no hurry to know the
exact verbal differences between the
ofhcia! and unofficial texts. There also
were reports that any act .on might
wait upon diplomatic conference
about to convene in one of the allied
capitals. but these found no Official con-
trmat!on.
The usual Tuesday Cabinet meeting
was in session all afternoon, and IT was
assumed that the German note occu-
pied It's attention. No member OF the
he was taken into the Presidents con
ndence.
Those in official, diplomatic and con-
gressional circles who do not pretend
10 nave heard anything from the White
House on the subject. are confidently
ASSERTING opinions that the Germans
viii draw an answer from the Presi-
dent. or that they will not. One group,
recalling that the Presidents reply>to
the request for an armisticc and peace
negotiations. vas characterized by him
as decision" contends that this
meant no further discussion OF the is
sues involved would be tolerated The
other view. held very generally in Of
tcial circles, is that reply.is desirable
from every standpoint: that II will be
forthcoming after full consideration.
and that 1t 1tll deal chierly with the
immediate military problems. leaving
aside for the future such things as the
German denals ,f cruelties and ruth
less destruction. and doubts as 10 the
senuinepess of the self proclaimed
democratic regime at Berlin.
BUT ONE QUESTION Now,
"ARE THE GERMANS WHIPPED 2,
Whatever form any further diplo-
matte exchanges may take. one official
oointed out tonight after all. there
whipped?" II they are whipped and
ready TO surrender when attempts at
bargaining have failed. the surrender
VIII come quickly enough. as quickly
AS the men who say they have super
seeded the Kaiser and the war lords in
power dare to let the truth sink home
upon the German public. Some diplo-
matte reports support the theory tha t
they are restrained from revealing the
real situation abruptly and taking
peace at any price only from fear Of
more than a political revolution. Notes
"oproaching gradually final capitula-
ION serve to give the German public
'he rews IN broken doses and at the
srrA me to take every possible chance
c' f-d'nV loonhole in American and
.'!l!ed h"~rony. with the hone of avoid
to ultimately throwing the German
cation rno, the mercy or it's enemies
,ns.-ia-Huneary and Turkey were
''%-"e!" r1ent'oned in to days discus
s'o-~ o' tho situation. though II was
r-t1' 'hat the crcsent German rommu-
c'ort'o- s1vs rnthinE whatever about
- h"-",or" with our allies II seen. !.
~. Noth the allies ard Germany re
-.r-' .he leescr central powers as vir
trai'~ out OF the war. though the forces
seeking within thei- borders have a
nr~ees.
Snr ntor Lodge. EeDublican leader and
r'rkire minority member Of the For
n'rn Relations Committee issued a
statement during the day deducing the
German note as another poorly laid
tap. and reiteratins his opinion that
only one demand should he made by
the President--"unconditi surren-
no TRAP WILL SUCCEED
IS OPINION EVERYWHERE,
The belief that no trap will succeed
was reiterated everywhere. Almost the
one thing stated and repeated on au-
tthority Is that there will be no rclaxa.
tiop Of the great forward movement OF
the allied and Amcrican armies nor
my abstention from attack upon tho
lY4f9 CONTINUED on Fifth Pase.Y
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