New-York tribune., 1918-10-18
No Capitalizing lnsincerity

NO CaptaI1Zlng inSlncerltN
From The Tribune
Our conclusion is that President Wilson's
inquiry was intended by him not to express
the state of mind in this country toward
taithless people but to make it inn
possible for the Imperial German Government
to capitalize its insincerity in terms OF
morale by saying to the German peoples
We have asked in vain For peace on Prcsi-
dent Wilson'S own conditions ."
This was only the last paragraph. and
taken alone seems to be favorable COM
ment.
The rest OF the editorial, which The
Times ignored, expressed, however,
very different and unfavorable opinion of
the note, and very correct and clear one
to me. 1t reads as follows:
Words With Germany
in the Presidents response to Ger
many there is nothing about surrender.
1t has five points, which are these
"GD No armistice, unless the Central
Powers consent to withdraw their
armies to their own borders.
"(2) Door ajar to peace discussions,
provided the Germans will act in good
faith and mean what they say.
"(3) Will the Imperial Chancellor say
in what spirit the Imperial German Gov
crnment accepts, 'as a basis for peace
ncgotlations,' the fourteen peace condi.
tions laid down on January s?
"(D Does the Imperial Chancellor
speak for those who created him or for
the people?
"(5) Correspondence on these vital
points invited
1T is not reply says Secretary
Lansing, but inquiry
"A great majority of Americans, and
especially nearly two million who arc
over there will wish as we wish, that
it had been not an inquiry, but reply,
and reply in four words-'Wc demand
unconditional surrender
What have we to inouire about
What more do need to know about
meant by sinking the Lusitania.
'Prince MaXimiian of Baden will un-
doubtedly say that he speaks from the
heart and for all that are German, and
that the Imperial German Government
means what it says and will act in good
faith. He will say again that it accepts
the conditions of peace laid down by
President Wilson accepts them 'as q
basis for peace negotiations
"What then?
at is possible that the Impe rial Chan
cellor will say for the Central Powers
that they consent to return to their own
~
for an armistice
"Fhat would have to be answered at
length
I'VE are now involved in a correspond
ence with our enemies on the subject,
not of surrender, not of peace, but OF
peace negotiations on the basis OF
President Wilson's programme"
The editorial, in fact, expressed your
own disappointment at the note and the
opinion that the majority of Americans
were equally opposed to any discussions
with Germany until after her uncond-
tiona surrender.
Can you allow such complete perver-
sion Of your published opinion to pass un
noticed, particularly by The Times.
whose eager plea, in its editorial Of Sep
tember 16, for the acceptance of Austrias
Greatly Germany's) invitation for a peace
conference, in such words as "Reason and
humanity demand that the invitation be
accepted" and eve cannot imagine that
the invitation will be declined" has raised
many disagrecablc doubts? 1t was, in
5act, urgent support of what Germany
was and is working frantically for
The Presidents answer to Austria ended
any further propaganda of that character.
but i. left a very unfavorablc impression
OF 7he Times, and iustties giving a
rather sinister significance to its appar-
emily deliberate pcrversion of your excel
lent editorial. C. H +.
New York, Oct 10, 1918.