Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-08
Reply to MaximiIian Asks for
Whom He Speaks in
Peace'Note.
UNWILLING TO ASK ALLIES
TOLAY DOWN ARMS NOW
No Farley While Enemy's Troops
Are on Soil CT Invaded
Countries.

President Wilson today in
formed the German governmen
that before the: United States
can discuss an arn1istice German
troops must withdraw from al
territory.
He asked Chancellor Maxi
milan whether he represented
the German people or the au
thorities OF the empire who art
conducting the war.
The Presidents message wa:
not a reply, but in the form o
an inquiry. The imperial Ger
man government is asked
whether it accepts the terms lait
down by the President in hi
address to Congress January
and subsequent addresses.
Secretary Lansing in his note
states that the good faith of any
discussion would depend upor
the consent of the central powers
to withdraw their forces irnme.
everywhere from invaded
territory.
Secretary Lansing says the
President also feels that he is
justified in asking whether the
German imperial chancellor is
speaking merely for the consti.
tuted authorities of the empire
who have so far conducted the
war.
The official texts of the COM
nunications follow:
October s, 1918.
The Secretary of State makes
public the following communi-
cations:
From the charge d'afYaires
nd interim of Switzerland. in
charge of German interests in
the United States.
Department of German interests.
VI S"stZtfIsaG.
Washington. u. C..
October q, 1918.
Mr. President:
have the honor to transmit
herewith. upon Instructions
from my government. the orig
inal text of communication
from the German government,
received by this legation late
this afternoon, from the SWISS
foreign Office.
An English translation of this
communication is also in"loSed.
The German original text. how
ever. is alone to be considered
~ authoritative.
Please accept, Mr. President.
the assuranccs of my highest
consideration.
dSi.Ded, T. OEDERIJN.
Charge G'aTaireS al. of Syyitz-
erinnd. in ci,-Fa.e of German
interests in IL 'ritrd states,
MIR. Woodrow ta...an,
President of the I nited States,
Washington.
OEnclOsurc.p
TRANSLATION
OF Communications fro,n Ger
man Government TO the
President Of 'he United
States. ns- transmitted by the
Charge d'AEaires al; of
Switzerland. on October 6,
1918.
me German government re-
quests the President of the
United states of America to
take steps for the restoration
OF peace. 10 notify all belliger-
enfs of this request. and to in
Nite them to delegate pIrnipo-
fenfinricS for the purpose of
taking nm ncrnfintinns 'Ch.
German government accepts. aS
basis for the peace neGotia-
ti0nS, the program laid down
by the President Of the United
States in his message to Con-
gress of January =, IGIS. and
In his subsequent pronounce
ments. particularly in his EL-
dress of September -. 1918. In
order to avoid further blood
shed the German government
requests to bring about the iin-
mediate conclusion of Il general
armiSt.ce on Land, on wather
and in the mir.
MAN, PRINCE OF BADEN.
Imperial Chancellor.
SECRETARY LANSING'S REPLY
From the Secretary of state
10 the Charge d'ATires of
Switzerland:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
October y, 1918,
Sir:
1 hnvc the honor to acknoy-I-
edge. on behalf of the President,
your note of October q. incloSinG
communication frGm the Ger
man government TO the Presi-
dent. ind i I'm instructed by the
President TO request you to
make the following cOmr,uni-
cation TO the imperial German
chancellor;
"BrfOre making reply to the
request Of the imperial German
government, and in order that
that reply shall he as candid
and straightforward as the mo-
mentOus interests involved re-
quire. the President of the
United States deems IL neces-
aary to assure himself of the eX.
act meaning of the note of the
imperial chancellor. Does the
imperial chancellor mean that
the Imperial German govern
ment accepts the terms laid
down by the President in his
address to the Congress of the
United States on the Sth of jan
uary last and In subsequent nd-
dresses and that it's object in
entering into discussions would
be only to agree upon the prnc-
teal details of their applications.
''The President feels bound to
say with regard TO the sugges-
tfOn of an armistice that he
would not feel q; liberty to pro-
pose n cessation OF arms TO the
governments with which the
ROVeE1nent Of the Iuited Sfatea