The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-24

The President says he feels he cannot decline to take up the question of an armistice, having received solemn and explicit assurances of the German gov ernment that it accepts the terms Of peace enunciated by him; that the de- sire to discuss their application comes from ministers speaking for an over whelming majority of the German peo- pie, and that the German armed force will observe the humane rules of civil ized warfare on land and sea.
 He ignores entirely the German pro- tests and denials in response to his statement that an armistice could not be considered while the German army and navy continued their atrocities
 As to the authority of the new spokesmen of the German people, he speaks, as the note says, without any attempt to soften what may seem harsh words" and tells the men with whom he is dealing and through them the German people. why such extraordinary safeguards must be demanded before hostilities can cease.
 KAISER'S POWER UNIMPAIRED
 Significant and important as the
 proposed constitutional changes
 seem to he, he declares, 1t does not
 appear that the principles of gov
 crnment responsible to the Germnn
 people has yet been worked out
 and tt is evident thnt the people
 have no means of commanding the
 acquiestence of the military au- thorities. He reminds the Germans
 of F[inU Af RrnA- sin (thc I<aiserD to control the policy of the empire Is unimpaired, ana concludes with the warning that If this power Is to bc dealt with inc United States and the al- ue. cnn demand nothing but sur render.
 As the note was dispatched Secre- tary Tumulty, at the White House, gave emphasis to the assurance given by all members that no Interruption of the military programme is contemplated by making public correspondence between Secretary Baker and President Wilson showing that more than 2,OU0,00O Amer itcan soldiers have embarked for the war overseas,
 APPROVAL GENERAL AnproyaI of the Presidents action was voiced everywhere among officials, who declared that the note demanded the surrender upon which America and the allies insist, and at the same time l held up to the German people picture | of their situation in q way likely tc I hasten their rise to throw out the Kaiser and his war lords completely. l In Congress the expressions of lead CTS indicated divided opinion. Sena- { tor Hitchcock of Nebraska, chairman of the senate foreign relations commit i tee approved the note in unqualified terms, declaring it called for surrender and would create q political crisis ir Germany. On the other hand, Senator Lodge of Massachusetts. republican Header and ranking minority member of the foreign relations committee. ex- pressed regret that the President had entered upon any discussion with the German government, and declared any negotiations should follow a repor I from General Foch that the German armies had surrendered.
 WASHINGTON SURPRISED I All Washington was surprised by the news that the note had been sent, cried lin the streets by newsboys with extras :, shortly after g o'clock, just II hours l after the official text of the last Ger man communication had been delivered by Frederick Oederlin, the Swiss charge During the afternoon it had beer stated authoritatively that there woule