The Robesonian., 1918-10-24
TEXT OF
GERMAN REPLY

The text of the German note, as re-
celved by wireless, is as follows:
I'm accepting the proposal for an
evacuation of occupied territories, the
German government has started from
the assumption that the procedure of
this evacuation and of the conditions
OF an armstice should be left to the
Judgment Of the military advisers and
that the actual standard of power on
both sides IN the field has to form the
oasis Tor arrangements safeguarding
and guaranteeing this standard.
The German government suggests
to the President that an opportunity
should be brought about for fixing the
details. 1t trusts that the President
of the United States will approve of
no demands which would be irreconca-
BILE with the honor of the German peo-
pie and with opening a way to a peace
of justice.
"The German government protests
against the approach of illegal and in
humane actions made against the Ger
man land and sea forces, and thereby
against the German people. For the
covering OF retreat distinctions will
| always be necessary and they are car
rled out In so far as is permitted by
international law. The German troops
are under most strict instructions to
spare private property and to exercise
care for the population to the best Of
their ability. Where transgressions
occur IN spite of these instructions the
guilty are being punished
| The German government further
denies that the German navy, in sink
ing ships, has ever purposely Destroy
ed lifeboats with their passengers.
The German government proposes
with regard to all those charges that
the facts be cleared up by neutral
commissions.
! In order to avoid anything that
might hamper the work Of peace the
German government has caused or
ders to be dispatched to all submarine
commanders precluding the torpedo
ing OF passenger ships without, how
ever, for technical reasons, being able
to guarantee that these orders will
reach every single submarine at sea
before it's return.
GAS a fundamental condition for
peace the President prescribes the de-
/ struction of every arbitrary power
that can separately, secretely and to
it's own single choice disturb the peace
of the world. To this the German gov
ernment replies:
"Hitherto the representation of the
people in the German empire has
not been endowed with an influence
on the formation of the government.
"The constitution did not provide
for concurrence of representation of
the people in decisions Of peace and
war. These conditions have just now
undergone fundamental change. A
new government has been formed in
complete accordance with the wishes
(principle) Of the representation Of
the people, based on equal, universal
secret, direct franchise.
"The leaders of the great parties OF
the reichstag are members Of this
government. In the future no govern
without possessing the confidence of E
majority of the reicstag.
"The responsibility of the chancel
lor of the empire to the representa-
ton of the people is being legally de-
veloped and safeguarded. The first
act of the new government has beer
to lay before the reichstag a bill tt
alter the constitution Of the empire ST
that the consent Of the representation
of the people is required for decisions
on war and peace.
''The permanence of the new system
is, however, guaranteed not only b!
constitutional safeguards, but also b,
the unshakable determination Of ths
German peoples whose vast majorit.
stands behind these reforms and de
mand their energetic continuance.
"The question of the President
with whom he and the government
associated against Germany are deal
ing-is therefore answered in clear
unequivocal manner by the statemen
that the offer of peace and an armis
ice has come from government
| which is free from any arbitrary an
irresponsible influence, is supporte
; by the approval Of an overwhelming
majority of the German people.
(Signed) "SOLF."