The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-24
SURRENDER" AT LAST.

words that anybody can understand, and
that leave no Opening fer a continuation
of useless and futile discussion.
3 He has turned the request for an aru.iS-
tice over to the military advisers of the
Allies and of the United States-meaning
the Allied War Council-with the blunt
statement that the present German govern.
ment is not to be trusted and that nothing
short Of surrender on its part is thinkabie.
It is exactly the solution The Forum
hoped for Tuesday night, when it said edl-
torially: "The way is open for President
Wilson to break off the interchange of
notes with the Imperial German govern
ment, which is rapidly becoming night
mare to Americans and severe embarrass-
ment to our Allies"
Mr.. Wilson has stepped out of the false
/ position into which he was being pushed by
the German government, Of posing as the
peace dictator. Our Allies have born the
/ greater burden of the war to date. They
cannot be ignored in such an important
diplomatic interchange. The President has
referred the question of peace terms to
them, asking if they are willing to make
and referring the question of an armistice
to the military, which is the proper place
for it.
If Germany is bluffing, the bluff is called.
Undoubtedly the hope of the Imperial
government was to appear to accept the
terms, and then haggle over, the exact in
depreciation of them at the peace confer
ence She hoped for an immediate armis
tice which would permit her to withdraw
! her armies safely to the border and reor-
ganiZe them during the winter. Then she
would be able to sell herself to better adj
vantage at the peace table, and perhaps
draw the Allies into disagreement among
themselves She saw possibility Of saw
ing herself from the extreme penalty, and
perhaps of getting very generous terms.
But the latest note forces her to show
her hand now not at the peace table.
IF she really is prepared to make peace
on the basis of the President s terms and
If the Allies accept such a peace, she will
have to comply with the Allies War Coun-
ellis terms for an armistice. Germany will
have no voice in making that armistice.
Undoubtedly it will include permission for
the Allies to occupy all territory to the
bank of the Rhine at least, the demobiliza-
ton of the German army, and the surren-
der of the German fleet as hostage. The
war council could not we'll ask for less; it
might well ask for more, even the occupa-
ton of Berlin by an allied force. Certainly
Germany must be left no loophole for re-
Stunning the war if the peace TERMS as final
~ defined, are not acceptable to her.
But the air has been cleared Of doubts
and questionings at last. The Forum, from
the beginning has had complete confidence
that President Wilson would return such
an answer in the end but the issue was too
tremendous to permit one man to bear all
the responsibility, however great and wise
he may be- Moreover, it was not fitting
that our Allies be left unconsulted, openly,
however much the cables were kept busy
between Washington, London and Paris.
The next steps will be for the allied gov
ernments to declare their willingness to
accept a peace on the PRESIDENT terms,
and for the Allied War Council to an
nounce it's terms for an armistice. Prob
ably the latter will not come until the
former has been accomplished, and right
here hitch may occur.
Much history has been made since last
January. 1t is quite conceivable that terms
which would be acceptable then, might not
be acceptable or feasible now. One ex-
ample only need be cited. Autonomy was
suggested for the subject races of Austria
at that time. Since then the Czecho-Slovaks
have been recognized as an independent
nation, and virtually the same recognition
has been given the Jugo-Slavs. Not au-
tonomy but complete independence, must
be assured them, now.
That one fact may indicate the difficult
ties that still surround the agreement upon
peace terms, even among the Allies.
Moreover, it is very doubtful if Germany
is yet quite ready to submit to an uncon-
ditional surrender. But she can no longer
close her eyes to the fate before her, or hide
the true conditions from her people There
probably. is one dying struggle left in
iunkerisn, and it must be overcome either
by Marshal Foch or by the German people.
1T looks like about an even bet as to which
will administer the death blow.