Evening star., 1918-10-28
Official German Note
Does Not Vary From
Press Report.
ALLIED WAR COUNCIL
TO DECIDE, ON TERMS
An Communications Received So
Far Have Failed to Show
Action by Bunde.rath.

The State Department was
advised this morning by the
Swiss legation that the official
text of the German note had
been received. 1t was intimated
that it did not vary from the
press report.
Cable press dispatches this morning
reported that Austria-Hungary is send
ing note to this government accept
ing all Of President Wilson's terms, and
asking for an immediate armistice on all
fronts. regardless of negotiations in
other quarters.
In Official circles here it was said
today that all questions Of armistice
must be taken up with the allied su-
preme war council in Versailles. That
council, according to press dispatches.
is to begin its deliberations tomorrow.
President Wilson's attitude toward
the latest German note and the re-
ported Austrian communication may
we'll be limited to the expression "in-
teresting. if true" it was suggested
by officials here today. In every inn
portant quarter and at every qualified
source of information the stand was
maintained that the! situation now
~ ~ -: & 3s,4i
Forwarded to Allies.
l9t
Wflaon to take any step or. make &ny
Recommendations at this time on the
German note. He has forwarded all
the communications to the allied gov
ernments, according to official an
nouncement heretofore made. II Aus
proposition tantamount to uncondi-
tional surrender, as the press reports
would seem to indicate Is the case, it
would still be for the allied council to
act upon it. =. ! .
The-President; it is said here, would
only forward the communication when
officially received. He might or might
not .offer suggestion as to its accept
al1ce, although it is believed he would
go no further than to communicate it.
have upon the: subject to be transmit
ted through his representative in the
war council.
Several paragraphs in the latest
German note were under analysis in
government circles today. It was
noted that the German minister, Solf,
said: The President is aware Of the
far-reaching changes which have been
carried out, and. are being carried
out; in. in the German constitutional
This expression might, at first blush.
seem to infer that the President had
exclusive information of the constil
tutional changes. It was said au-
thoritatively today, however. that the
intimate or confidential information,
and that his knowledge Of the changes
referred to is confined to the explana-
tion of them conveyed in the official
German notes received heretofore.
Power to Negotiate. -
1t is noted also that Minister. solf
said that the peace negotiations are
ernment in whose hands rests. both
actually and constitutionally, the
power to make the deciding conclu-
sions. The military powers are also
subject to it."
In this connection it is pointed out
ceived have told of action by the
reichstag on the changes in govern
ment. No mention has been made
of concurrence in the reichstag's ac-
tion of the bundesrath. which is su-
perior to and possesses the power Of
In a review of the German form of
government by Prof. Hazen of Celum-
bia University, which has been made
a government publication and thus
officially sanctioned, Prof. -Hazen says
Of the bundeSrath:
''The bundesrath is in reality an as
sembly Of the sovereigns of Germany.
1t is responsible to nothing on earth.
and its powers are very extensive. It
is the most important element of the
N>- -s~f~ --I>
in It: its consent is necessary to all
legislation. and every law passed by
the reichstag is. after that, submitted
to it TOR ratification or rejection. It
is, therefore, the chief source of legis-
lation. The princes Of Germany have
lar element in the government, the
reichstag. Representing the princes Of
Germany, the bundesrath is a thorough
ly monarchical institution, a bulwark
of the monarchical order. The procsedS
ings Of this princely assembly are Sc
cret. which is one reason why we
know and hear less about it than we
do about the reichstag.".
Discussion Is Academic.
However, it was said in oficial cir
cles today, when all is said about the
authoritafiveness, Of the reported
changes of government. discussion 10
LARGELY academic at this time. as the
real situation now centers upon the
verdict Of the supreme war council.
It is expected that this. verdict as
to the character of the guarantees
necessary to be given by Germany
before an armistice is obtained will
be such as to render negligible the
consideration whether Germany is re-
forming its government or not.
In other words. the German military
nnvrer will be required to submit to