River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-10-31
Wilson Replies to Germany That
No Peace Can Be Made With
House of HohenzoIIern.
SURRENDER DEMANDED
Allied Commanders Its Terms
Must Be Left Entirely to
Them-Text of Reply.

washington, OcC. "a. = Hr0SlueHC
Wilson has submitted the German plea
for an armistice and peace to the AL
lies and at the same time has informed
Berlin that there can be no armistice
except upon terms that would make it
impossible for Germany to renew hos
tilities.
The text of the reply follows:
From the Secretary Of State to the
charge d'affaires ad interim, in charge
Of German interests in the United
States:
Department of State, Oct. %, 1918.
Sir:-I have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your note of the
22d transmitting communication un-
der date of the goth from the German
government and to advise you that the
President has instructed me to reply
thereto as follows:
Having received the solemn and ex-
plicit assurance of the German gov
eminent that it unreservedly accepts
the terms of peace laid down in his
address to the Congress of the United
States on the 9Th of January, 1918,
and the principles of settlement enun-
ciated in his subsequent addresses,
particularly the address Of the 9th of
September, and that it desires to dis
cuss the details of their application,
and that this wish and purpose ema-
mated, not from those who have hither-
to dictated German policy and con-
Quoted the present war on Germany'S
behalf, but from ministers who speak
for the majority Of the Reichstag and
for an overwhelming majority of the
German peoples; and having received
also the explicit promise of the pres
ent German government that the hu-
name rules of civilized warfare will
be observed both on land and sea by
the German armed forces, the Presi-
dent Of the United States feels that he
cannot decline to take up with the gov
ernments with which the government
question of an armistice.
He deems it his duty to say again,
however, that the only armistice he
would feel justified in submitting for
consideration would be one which
should leave the United States and
the powers associated with her in a
position to enforce any arrangements
that may be entered into, and to make
renewal of hostilities on the part of
Germany impossible.
The President has, therefore, trans
mitted his correspondence with the
present German authorities to the gov
ernments with which the government
of the United States is associated as a
belligerent, with the suggestion that,
If those governments are disposed to
effect peace upon the terms and prin-
ciples indicated, their military advis-
ers and the military advisers of the
United States be asked to submit to
the governments associated against
Germany the necessary terms of such
an armistice as will fully protect the
interests Of the people involved, and
ensure to the associated governments
the unrestricted power to safeguard
and enforce the details of the peace
to which the German government has
agreed. provided they deem. such an
armistice possible from the military
point of view.
Should such terms of armistice be
suggested. their acceptance by Ger
many will afford the best concrete
evidence of her unequivocal accept
ance of the terms and principles of
peace from which the whole action
proceeds.
The President would deem himself
lacking in .candor did he not point in
the frankest possible terms the reason
why extraordinary safeguards must be
demanded. Significant and important
as the constitutional changes seem to
be which are spoken of by the German
foreign secretary in his note of the
Goth of October, it does not appear
that the principle of a government re-
sponsible to the German people has
yet been fully worked out, or that any
guarantees either exist or are in con-
temptation that the alterations of
principle and practice now partially
agreed upon will be permanent.
Moreover. it does not appear that
| the heart of the present difficulty has
| been reached. 1t may be that future
wars have been brought under the
control of the German people, but the
present war has not been, and it is
with the present war that we are deal.
| ing.
It is evident that the German people
have no means OF commanding the
acquiescence of the military authori-
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| Hindenburg Approves Peace Move.
/ With the French Army in France,
| Oct. 24.-Field Marshal Won linden
burg, in an order to German officers in
the field, refers to negotiations for an
| armistice. He declares he approves
the peace moves and supports the
| government. He asks that the conf
dence reposed in him be continued.
The German crown prince in an order
to the group of armies under his COM
mand, reminds the officers of the re-
/ SponSibility they incur when they lose