Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-27
ENDS FOE CHANCE
. OF PEACE TR|CKERY
British Opinion So Views Lat
est Wilson Note to
Germany.
CANNOT SAVE THE ARMY
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.


Cablegram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright.1e1s.
LONDON. October 26-Solid British
opinion. which means the opinion OF
the vast majority of the people. well
comes President Wilson's latest COM
munication to Germany. 1t is regard
ed as allowing the enemy no oppor-
tunity to score over the entente while
opening the way to a just and lasting
peace. provided the Germans want
such a peace.
select the leading article from the
Westminster Gazette as rejecting
what is practically certain to be the
view of sane Britons:
Let no deal be made with an
armistice coming first. Hindenburg
has announced that he is a party to
the peace proposals of the present
German government. We can well
believe it, for an armistice as pro-
posed by the German government
quite certainly would be of great mil
itary advantage to Germany. While
the armies remain locked, II Is eS-
tremely improbable that the Germans
can effect a retirement on short
line with a consequent saving OF men
and the renewal of an opportunity TO
form an army of maneuvers, winch
plainly is the intention. The mere
waste and loss of men in getting back
even il they succeed in getting back
in all probability will destroy their
margin and deprive them OF the op-
portunity of recovering the initiative
and returning to the attack. III they
got to the frontier at all 1T would al
most certainly be as beaten and dis
organized army hard pressed by the
allies and with reserve exhausted.
Position Would Change.
But if the armies were unlocked
land the enemy in position TO carry
tout his evacuation unchecked the po-
Isition would entirely change. The
enemy in that case would be left free
without further loss or damage to ex-
iecute one of the most momentous ma
lneuvers, if not the most momentous
maneuver, of the campaign, retire.
ment which would annul at one stroSe
the most substantial results OF the
Jailed offensive.
"By adroitly connecting evacua-
ition with the armistice and suggest
ling that there should be joint nego-
Itiations to arrange for the armistice
the evacuation would be practically
effected.
The German government. whether
ast or present, attempted to read this
meaning into Mr.. Wilson's words. ot
course it never was his meaning, ana
lin his latest message he makes it per-
fectly clear that the only armistice he
Icontemplates is one which makes a
renewal of hostilities impossible and
ENSURES to the allies unrestricted
power to safeguard and enforce the
| details of the peace to which the Ger
imam government has agreed.
On Bedrock of Facts.
This brings us to the bedrock OF
hard facts, and whether the German
government accepts this proposition
will depend on its estimate OF its
! military and internal situation and on
nothing else. 1t is necessary posi-
ton for it, as the other governments
! will certainly not say less. All dem
ocratic nations will be grateful to the
President for having thus forcibly
projected the issue between free peo-
! pies and military despotism into the
/ foreground at this stage of the war.
But let it be said again that the
choice rests with the German people
i 1t is for them and not for us to
say how they shall be ruled. All we
| can say is that according as they
choose so we must act, and that is
the Presidents last word. We can
negotiate with a free people. but we
must demand a surrender from the
| military autocracy."