Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-15

of surrender from Vienna or Con-
stantinople or both.
Tho text of the presidents answer
follows:
The unqualified acceptance by the
present German government and by
4 large majority Of the reichstag Of
the terms laid down by the president
of the United States of America in
his address to the congress of the
United States on the Sth OF January,
1918, and in his subsequent addresses
justifies the president in making a
frank and direct statement of his de-
cision with regard to the communica-
ton of the German government of
the Sth and 18th of October. 1918.
Generals Must Decide.
1T must be clearly understood that
the process of evacuation and the
conditions of an arm!stice are mat
ters which must be left to the judg
ment and advice of the military ad-
visers of the government of the Unit
ed States and the allied governments.
and the president feels it his duty to
say that no arrangement can he ac-
copied by the government of the
United States which does not provide
absolutely satisfactory safeguards
and guarantees of the maintenance
of the present military supremacy Of
the armies of the United States and
the allies in the field.
"He feels confident that he can
safely assume that this will also he
the Judgment and decision of the al
lied governments.
Frightfulness Must Cease.
! THE president feels that it is also
| his duty to add that neither the gov
! eminent of the United States nor, he
| is quite sure, the governments with
which the government of the United
States is associated as a belligerent
will consent to consider an armistice
so long as the armed forces of Ger
many continue the illegal and in
| humane practices which they still
persist in.
Eat the very time that the German
government approaches the govern
ment OF the United States with pro-
| posals of peace it's submarines are en-
gagged in sinking passenger ships at
sea and not the ships alone. but the
very boats in which their passengers
and crew seek to make their way 10
safety; and in their present enforced
withdrawal from Flanders and Fran e
| the German armies are pursuing "a
course of wanton destruction which
| has always been regarded as in direct
violation of the rules and practices of
civilized warfare Cities and villages,
| if not destroyed, are being stripped of
all they contain. not only, but often
! of their very inhabitants. The ma
tions associated against Germany
cannot be expected to agree to ces-
sation Of arms while acts of inhu-
maaity, spoliation and desolatlon are
1 being continued which they justly
! look upon with horror and with burn
/ ing hearts.
Autocracy Must Go.
| 1T is necessary, also, in order tha'
there NAV be no possibility of mis-
understanding that the preslnen
! should very solemnly call the atten.
ton of the government of Germany to
! the language and plain intent of one
Of the terms of peace which the Ger
man government has now accepted. II
| is contained in the'address of the pres
ident delivered at Mount Vernon OF
the Fourth Of July last.
/ at ia as follows: The destruction
| Of every arbitrary power anyWneIs
that can separately. secretly ana OF u
! single choice disturb the peace OF IN
world. or. IL it cannot be presently
| destroyed, at least its reduction OF VII
tual impotency.'?
The power which has hitherto
controlled the German nation is OF th'
sort here described. 1t is within TN
choice of the German nation TO alte
it. The Presidents words Just quote'
naturally constitute a condition pre-
cedent to peace if peace is to come b!
the action of the German. peopl'
themselves. The president feels bounC
to say that the whole process OF peace
will, in his judgment depend upoi
the definiteness and the satisfactor,
character Of the guarantees whicl
can be given in this fundamental mat
ter 1t is Indispensable that the gov
ernments associated against German
should know beyond a peradventur
with whom they are. dealing.
The president will make sepa
rate reply to the royal and imperla
government of Austr-Hungary
Accept sir, the renewed assurance
of my high consideration.
| (Signed) "ROBERT LANSING.
MIR. Frederick Oederlln. charg
d'affaires, ad interim in charge
German interests in the Unitd'
|