The Delta independent., 1918-11-29
A LETTER FROM MAX, OF
BADEN, WOODROW WILSON

President OF them United states:
Dear Sir: am receipt of your valu-
ed communication of recent date
which l have perused with care and
some confusion of mind. The kaiser
tells me in confidence that he is in
the same fix l am therefore writing
this in the hope that you may be able
to relieve us of our perplexities and
make it clear to us where we are at
and also where you are at.
l had supposed until the last week
or two that had a fairly clear idea
as to your position with reference to
this war and also with reference to
the government of the United States,
but at the present time the situation
seems rather cloudy to me. l think
therefore it would be well before our
friendly correspondence continues fur
ther to ask you a few questions.
had been led to suppose from pre-
ious notes, that the settlement of this
war was entirely in your hands and
that while as a matter of courtesy you
might occasionally mention to France
or Great Britain and Italy, what you
were doing, it was not a matter of any
lupOItd4lLS WAOLhCh tACJ
were consulted or not. Just re-
Gently, however, the disturbing infor
nation comes to me and the kaiser
that these nations are holding com
ference and fixing up terms which
they propose to offer US without ask
ing you whether they may SO meet or
not. Do they have the right to speak
frankly and plainly, as you would say,
to do this.
Seconds 1 gathered from your
extended and varied correspondence
that you not only spoke for the entire
people of the United States. but that
you we're the United States, and that
you have been conducting the war,
largely, / may say. almost entirely, as
| a private matter, and that the only
proper business of the United States
congress was to ascertain what you
wanted done and then proceed to do
| 1t without question or back talk OF
any kind. In view OF the privileges
and prerogatives of congress may
say sir. that your view is In entire
harmony with that of the kaiser and
the leading men OF Germany. One
of the troubles we are having right
now is the apparent growth Of fool
notion that the German people ought
| to have some part in the government
and that the reichstag ought to be
something more than mere debating
society. / learn now on what seems
to be reasonably good authority that
there are great many people in the
opinion that they have a right to elect
United States who still entertain the
congress without consulting you and
that the congress when elected is a
coordinate branch OF your government
and has a right to some say concern
ing the manner in which the govern
ment shall be run.
In view Of all these disturbing and
conflicting rumors, before negotia-
tions proceed further between US ]
would like to have you answer the
following specific questions:
II I, Is It true that you are' not the
entire United States government?
& II you answer that you do not
assume to be the entire United States
government but that you represent
the whole people. am to understand
that the only people who are entitl.
ed to representation are the people
who vote the Democratic ticket?
8. Am I to understand that while
there are people in the United States
calling themselves Republicans, you
hold that they have no rights which
any white man is bound to respect!
4. Is It your purpose to first dis
franchise the Republicans and then
prorogue congress entirely?
s. Is It fact that your assump-
ton, as we have understood It over
here. that you have. the sole power to
fix the terms of peace is unwarranted
by the facts or have the governments
of France, Great Britain, Italy and
Belgium any right to butt-in and say
what the TERMS OF peace shall be?
told you in previous letter which
you evidently received in due course
Of mall that Germany was ready tc
accept your IA principles any old time
You wrote right back and asked whal
we meant. How do you suppose We
could answer that question when st
Tar as have been able to learn no
body knows what the IA principles
kmeant? That was In fact the reasol
why we were willing to accept them
We figure that the less able any ont
ia to understand them the more tim'
there will be to argue over them am
what we want is time for argument
But you come back and ask what WI
understand by these "A principles tina