Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-10-24
WIRELESS VERSION
IS LITTLE CHANGED
Official Text OF German Reply Is
Made Public at Offices OF State
Department by Lansing.

| Germany and fails 10 clear up WHat
were regarded as vague phrases in
that part OF the nOto IN which an
arniStlCe is discussed.
The official document was made
public by the state department In
| this announcement:
The secretary Of state makes pub
| lie the following communication
from the charge d'AfaIres a. L of
SWttzer land:
| "lAgHtion Of Switzerland, washing
ton. oct 20. 1918.
| "Department OF German interests
Sir. by direction OF my govern
ment, | have the honor TO transmit
herewith TO your exCellency. the
origins German text OF communi-
cation dated October 20, 1913, from
I the German government. which mas
today been received from tho Swiss
foreign office. | beg TO also enclose
an English translation OF tho COM
municauOn In question as trans
mItted to the swiss foreign office by
the German government with tho
request that 1t be forwarded to your
exCellency's government
please accept, sir, the renewed
ASSURANCES OF my highest consider-
alton.
! "(Signed) +. OEDERLlN,
Charge d'Affaires, a |. Of switzer-
| land"
His Excellency,
Robert Lansing,
Secretary OF state, Washington
| (EnclOsure).
Translation Issued by tho German
government Of It's communication
dated october 20, 1918, transmitted
to the secretary Of state BY the
charge daffaires, a l. OF Swzer-
land, on October %. 1918:
"ln accepting the proposal for an
evacuation Of the occupied terri
tories the German government has
started from the assumption that the
procedure Of this evacuation and OF
the conditions OF an armistice should
be left to the judgment OF the mill
tary advisers and that the actual
standard OF power on both sides In
the field has TO form the basis for
arrangements safeguarding TINS
standard. The German government
suggests to the president to bring an
opportunity for fixing the details. II
trusts that the president OF the
United States will approve OF no de-
mand which would be irreconcilable
with the honor OF tho German peo-
pie and with opening way to a
peace or justice.
The German government protests
against the reproach OF illegal and
inhumane actions made against the
German land and sea forces ana
thereby against the German people.
For the covering OF n retreat, des-
tructions will always be necessary
and are insofar permitted by inter
; national law. The German troops
are under the strictest instructions TO
snare private property and to exer-
else care for the populations to the
: best of their ability. Where trans
gresslons occur In spite OF these
instructions the guilty are being
punished.
The German government denies
that the German navy In sink
ing ships has ever purposely des-
troyed llfeboats with their pas
sengers, The German govern
ment proposes with regard to all
these charges that the facts be
cleared up by neutral commissions
In order to avoid anything that
might hamper the work OF peace,
the German government has caused
orders to be despatched to all sub
marine commanders precluding the
torpedoing OF passenger ships, with
out, however, for technical reasons
being able to guarantee that these
orders will reach every single sub
marine at sea before its return.
As the fundamental conditions for
peace, the president characteriEes the
destruction OF every arbitrary power
that can separately, secretly, and
Of its own single choice disturb the
peace of the world. To this the
German government replies:
People Now Have Say.
Hitherto the representation OF the
OF the people in the German empire
. has not been endowed with an In
. fluence on the formation OF the gov
ernment. The constitution did moi
!. provide for a concurrence OF the
representatlo Of the people In de-
cislon OF peace and war. These con-
ditions have lust now undergone q
fundamental change. The new gov
ernment has been formed In COM
plete accord with the wishes OF tht
representation OF the people, based
" on the equal. universal, secret, direc
franchise. The leaders OF the grea
parties OF the relchstag are members
!. OF this government. In future nt
!. government can take or continue ir
=. office without possessing the con
fidence Of the majority OF the reich
stag The responsibility OF the chan
cellor Of the empire to the repre-
sentation OF the people Is being le
gally developed and sateguarded
The first act ot the new government
has been to Law before the reichstal
a bill to alter the constitution OF tn
/ empire so that the consent OF tn,
representation OF the people Is re
uulred for decisions on war ant
peace. The permanence Of the nev
system Is, however, guaranteed no
only by constitutional safeguards
but also by the unshakable deter
mination Of the German people
whose vast majority stands behln'
these reforms and demands thei
energetic continuance.
The question OF the president. wit
whom he and the governments as
ISOLATED against Germany are deal
ing, Is therefore answered In a clea
and unequivocal manner by the state
;. ment that the offer OF peace and a'
y armistice has come from n govern
a mont which. free from arbitrary an
- irresponsible Influence, Is supporte
nv the approval OF the ovberwhelm
J, ing majority OF the German people
- Berlin, october 20, 1918.
a CSigned) SOLF,
II State Secretary OF Foreign Affair."
g g DRUMRIGHT OFFICIAL
q IS ORDERED 0VERSEAy