South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-18
ST OP FACE
SPECULATiONS!
IS TIMELY HINT
War Correspondent AdmOn-
iSheS American People to
Cease Considering Peace
BabbIe Until Later.

BY JOHN EDWIN NEVIN.
WASHINGTON. oct. IS-"Stop
Epeculating about peace rumors The
American people viii have all Of the
truth as fast ass anything real hap
pens. There IS nothing $50 far but
Numors that the wars end is at
hand. And, the rumOrs do not come
from authentic sources
That was the official view OF the
general war situation today. The all
lied armies on the western front are
continuing their sledge- hammer
blows on the badly shattered Ger
man military machine. Omcialdom
here was working tooth and nail 90
put the Liberty loan across
Germany may capituIate soon
officials believe that the final break
IS reasonably uear-but until she
does break there viii be nothing do
ing here in washington except TO
Keep the war machinery well oiled
and running az top speed.
German Situation Bad
AT the white house and state de-
partment it was explained that there
was nothing new from German
sources. The general situation with
iu Germany is very bad.
The German people have seeming
j. lost all confidence i'm the military
leaders. The long strain under which
Jhey have labored for four years
has at last resulted I'M a complete
breakdown OF the German morale.
Everywhere throughout the en-
pire dangerous disturbances have
taken place The present control is
seriously menaced. But how far the
Swing against the war party will
80, no one here in Washington is as
yet ready TO guess.
That Germany must surrender un-
conditionally before long is the be-
lief Of ohicialdom. Her supplies are
almost gone. Her army is in "a very
precarious situation Her allies are
ready 10 desert her And. officials
here believe that the banking and
merchant class in Germany will take
steps TO throw the nation on the
mercy OF the allies, but specially on
The mercy OF the United States. in
the belief that for general political
reasons the peace program will be
framed 20 keep the German empire
intact.
Kaiser still at Helm.
So far as the Amsterdam advices
saying that the kaiser has been
shOrn of his war and peace making
powers are concerned. Sec'y of state
Lansing said today that the only
word the department has on the
subject is newspaper reports from
neutral countries. While these tend
10 make the department believe the
reports are true until they are Off
ciauy confirmed. IL must be neces-
sary TO accept them with reserve.
But officials DO not believe that such
action goes far enough 10 meet the
conditions laid down by Pres't VIII
son in his decision on the original
German peace appeal. The entire
German form OF government must
be made absolutely responsible TO the
people themselves.
There was report here today
that the German reichstag would
meet tomorrow friday and that
ii would take up PRIEST wilson's
decision and debate whether the
conditions laid down by him should
he met In connection with this re-
port was another that the majority
of the mem bership would favor an
acceptance of the terms laid down.
There was. of course. no conhrma-
tion 10 this rumor and officials con-
tented themselves with saying that
It would be very nice if it worked
out that way 10 is entirely within
the bounds OF possibility. German
military commanders i'm the field
may be forced to ask an armistice.
Hun Army Hard Put
The present allied movement
along the western front has placed
The German army i'm a serous posi-
tion and there are many officials
here who do not believe that il is
now possible for the high command
TO save the army and its supplies by
q retreat. If they DO not ask for an
armistice IL is considered certain
here that large part OF the main
German forces must surrender.
Financial circles continued today
To insist that the government was i'm
possession Of much more nforma-
tion on the exact situation within
Germany than it was VillirE TO
make known. And. this belief pre-
vailed I'm the face OF the denial OF
officials and the promise that they
would make public aU information
received as fast as 10 became avail
able. The huauciaf experts declared
that they expected some big news
after the market closed. one basis
for this report was the fact that for
two days now PRIEST Wilson has de
MED himself 10 an callers and has
remained Closeted In his study i'm
the white house proper. 40 iufor-
NATION was forthcoming as 10 what
the president Ras doing. although
there was a suggestion that ne was
examining data dealing with the
Austrian and Turkish situations pre-
'paratory 20 replying 10 the peace APP
peaIs. of the two governments.
Germany slapped in Faoc.
Many of the papers urIe thar