The Carlisle independent., 1918-10-31
VIEWS OF HIS REPLY VARY
Breaking Up of the kustro- Hungarian Empire Seems an Assured Fact Huns Continue Retreat From Belgium-Yanks in Fierce Fighting Northwest of
 Verdun.
By EDWARD w. PACKARD.

lltt Htlu. oQI lGDQ anu Sed lOItCS
 have not been been guilty of ille-
 gal and inhumane actions, and we
 have ordered them not to commit
 any more such actions. The Ger
 man government is now free from
 any arbitrary and irresponsible in-
 fiuence and is supported by the ap-
 proval of an overwhelming major
 ity of the German people.-Ger-
 many's Note to President Wilson.
 Considering the assurances
 given by the German government,
 1 cannot decline 10 suggest to the
 allied governments the considera-
 ton aof an armistice. which. how
 ever. must leave the United States
 and it's allies in q position to en-
 force the arrangements made and
 to make impossible renewal of
 hostilities by Germany II appears
 to me that the kaiser and his crew
 still are in unimpaired control of
 the empire, and if We must deal
 with them. now or later, We must
 demand. not peace negotiations,
 but surrender.-President Will
 sons reply to Germany.
 The above summarizes briefly but fairly the diplomatic exchanges of the week between Berlin and Washington, Germany's note, evasive, shuftiing and altogether unsatisfactory, was received with contempt by the press and people of the United States and the allied countries. The president and his close advisers, it was said. were pleased only with the indication that Berlin was moving step by step toward full acceptance of the allies terms for an armiStice and peace. The imperial gov ernment's indignant denial that it's land and sea forces have committed outrages was looked on generally as an insult to the intelligence of a world that knows such outrages have been committed and have not yet ceased. Even while protesting against the charges, the note says orders have been issued 10 discontinue the inhu mane practices alleged by President Wilson in his former note; and the Huns who are being driven from Bel
 
 stopped the ruthless pillaging and burning of the places they are forced to evacuate, save in a few instances. If the orders to observe the rules of civilized warfare have been issued, then there is an end of the contention of the defenders of the German people as distinguished from the German au- tocratic government, namely, that the troops commit outrages only under the orders of the military command. No observing person can longer doubt that we are at war not only with the Ger man government, but with an inconsid- erable part of the German people. It may be that the Germans will over throw the Hohengciierns and all their gang. but if so. 1t will be not because of the monstrous erisle they have con- mitted. but because they have failed of their criminal rurpose. There is not in all Germany one sign of repent ance. There is only furious disap- pointment because the leaders have not been able to make good'
 It cannot be said truthfully that President Wilson's reply to Berlin aroused any wild enthusiasm. Most of us felt as did Senator Ashurst of Ari- zona. who said: "I would have told Germany to go to hell Less blunt critics of the president felt that the only reply called for was demand for unconditional surrender and that MT. Wfl~on was losing ground by continu- ing the diplomatic discussion with a government with which, he very prop erly declares, the United States cannot negotiate. There was general appro- val of the latter part of the note, which pronounced against any peace with the kaiser, and the rest of it was praised by those who saw in it a clever move to alienate the German people from their military leaders. There was no doubt anywhere of the rightncss of the presidents aims and intentions, but many public men feared that his very admirable detestation of war and his fondness for writing notes might lead him into an embarrassing diplomatic maze.
 In reassurance, it may be said that no armistice and no peace will be ar ranged that are not entirely to the sat isfaction of Great Britain, France and Italy, as well as the United States, and that these four allies have agreed that Germany must be required to sur render. There will be no cessation of hostilities on the part of the allies un- III Germany not only evacuates occu- pied territory, but also gives substan- flal guarantees that will prevent re- sumption of fighting by her; and the entente allies are determined that any discussions concerning an armistice shall take into full consideration the sea power, in which they are predomi- nant