Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-22

briefly.
Frederick George Holloway, par
liamentary secretary to the minis
ter of munitions, said:
THE note says that the eyacua-
tion and armiStice must be based
on the actual standard of power on
both sides in the field. Does that
phrase cover relative strength at
sea, relative strength in production
of guns, shells, airplaneS and ma
terial? IF not, why are they ruled
out?
Duty Is To Fight On.
Our duty is plain. 1t is to go
en- producing munitions or fight
ing as if it were at the beginning
of the year rather than approaching
the inevitable end"
Newspapers almost without ex-
Ception view the German reply to
President Wilson with impatiencc
and distrust. Germany Still I'm
pertitent," is the caption on the
editorial of the Chronicle, which
dismisses the reply as obviously in
acceptable The Graphic is more
optimistic, and says, verbally, the
GermanS-@re getting slightly nearer
the point of view upon which the
allies mean to insist"
Sees ~Nigger in WOOdpile."
THE niger in the .woodpiIe" in
the German reply. according to the
Express, is the desire for an arm
istice based on an elaborate esti-
mate of the rival forces as they are
today" This, the papers, says, is
a "disingenous twist of the wilson
conditions" and continues:
I'VE dare not consent to a sus-
pension of hostilities unless we can
obtain in October the terms we
shall dictate before July to an en-
envy who is broken and beaten to
his knees"
Confession of Own Doom.
Paris, Oct. 22.-The German re-
pIy to President Wilson was re-
Ceived here too late for the after
room papers, but was eagerly dis
cussed in official circles and in
parliament. Among deputies OF all
shades of opinion the impression
was first of all, that the reply be
trayed more than previous com
munications the state of depression
and the decentralization of the Ger
man people as the result of the al
lies victories.
AS a whole the note is found TO
be eQuiyocal and tortuOus ana
platitudinously phrased as to leave
The door open for all sorts of qulb
bling. Nowhere is there evidence
in the reply of a genuine desire 10
accept the only way in which peace
can be concluded, according to eX-
preston of opinion here. On the
contrary all that is apparent is the
desire of the German general stan
to get an armistice at any price IN
order to reorganiZe its reserves OF
men and material Therefore, 1t is
generally believed that the reply
is not likely to be considered al
Washington.
The Figaro saws that the men
combined TO write the reply to
President wilson have translated
the anguish. disarray and power
less anger of the people in whose
name they pretend to speak
THE German note is a typical
document" says the Matin. I'm il
are expressed IUe SSuJiIHSulS VI a
Earbarous people who failed in
foray"
Hun Concessions Pretense.
Paris, Oct 22.- -tHavasD - The
Germans are hoping by their dis
Cussions of an armistice to substi-
tute General Pershing for Marshal
Foch as the military leader who
will state the terms. the Petit
Journal says. The announced Ger
man concessions respecting sub
marine warfare are merely pre-
tense, the Petit Journal continues
inasmuch as the submarine cam
raign is a failure. in view OF the
loss of Ostend and Zeebrugge.
The most general comment upon
the German reply is that the enemy
is attempting to escape an admis-
sion of defeat by causing pacrhsi
agitation in entente countries. With
this end in view the German wire
/. less is sending out fantastic stories
OF pacifst manifestations in Lyons
MarseilIes and other important
,itiaS and of imminent strikes