New-York tribune., 1918-10-22
The Criminals Answer

spondence between Germany and the
United States on the subject of an armis-
tice with the Hun and peace with him
thereafter appears this morning On the
front page of every newspaper. If it
does not raise such storm of disgust
and anger as will sla mthe door from
this side hard enough to drop the bolt
and put an end once for all to these
offending negotiations, we shall all of us
deserve the consequences-not only those
of us who are responsible but those
others also who for any reason forbear
TO speak their misgivngs out.
To the Presidents inquiry" the Ger
man government made the reply that
might have been xpected-accepting in
words all the conditions. To the Presl-
dents answer" it makes again the reply
that was to have been expected.
In the Presidents last communication
there were three points to be met, namely:
FIRST: That the process of evacu-
alton ana the conditions Of arnsistice
be left to the military advisers of the
United States and Allies, and that the
military supremacy Of our armies be
guaranteed.
The German governments answer
on this point is to say it assumed from
Ah4 l~4 L. !
be left to the military advisers, and
that the relative powers of the contend
ing forces should be guaranteed as
they stand. That is proper answer,
provided you are going to discuss an
armistice at all in lieu of uncondi-
ticnal surrender.
SECOND: That no a7msistice could
be considered so long Is the armed
forces of Germany continued their itle-
gal and "inhumane" practices.
On this point the German govern
ment's answer is that there have
been no Illegal and inhuman practices,
and furthermore, that Instructions
have been issued to all commanders to
di cont nue. them.
THIRD: That the "goveymmeuts az
sociated oooinst Ge,m,onu" k,.oay be-
yond peradUen'atre With Whom then
2Cere dNollng-aOhether with an arbi~
trary, outocrotic power or vith the
German people.
On this point the German govern
ment's answer is that new system of
ont hoe hoo s.4Ax
upon universal, secret and direct fran
chise. and that there S now before
the Reichstag bill giving the people
power over decisions for peace or war.
If this we've all we should be where
we were before, only wiser, with pn un-
ansveret note IN our hands from an
enemv pretending to accent our own
cond tiors. But. for+u~ e'y. tte~e is
more of it and the moreness proves that
the otferce Of Germany in the sight of
God is to be German.
The rerl' 70 tho Presidents answer
caves either from camouhaged Hohen-
zo'lorn government or from TIE German
peo0le If it comes f~om carou
faged H ohenzol'ern government it is. Of
course. unacceptable. But let us sup
pose that it comes from the German
peonle. Behold, then, not the Hohen-
zollerns. not the Kaiser, but criminal
nation!
DO the German people disavow the
monstrous acts of the aut crate govern
ment thew pretend to have DESTROYED?
No. They "protest against the re-
proach Of illegal and nhumane actions
made against the German land and sea
forces and thereby against the German
people"
Do the German people express their
horror of the wholesale murders that
have been committed ON the seas in their
name?
No. They say that in "order to avoid
anything that might hamper tic work of
peace" orders have been sent to all
U~boat commanders to stop torpedoing
passenger ships. For the sake of the
mark of peace!
Do the German people turn face of
repentance toward the countries their
armies have looted and raped and
devastated?
No. The denv what all the world
knows. They saw that if any of it hap.
pened it was co'trarv tyo ins4ruc ions
And they add that where transgres-
sions occur in spite of these instructions,
the guilty are being punished" They
do not Offer either to punish or sur
render the man who sank tho Lusi.ania.
Thew exnresa ua disannroual af thasu