The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-12

practical details Of their application?
The president feels bound to say
with regard to the suggestion of an
armistice that he would not feel at
liberty to propose cessation OF
arms to the governments with which
the government Of the United States
is associated against the central
powers so long as the armies of those
powers are upon their soil. The good
faith Of any discussion would mani
festly depend upon the consent of the
central powers Immediately to with
draw their forces everywhere from
! invaded territoy.
"'The president also feels that he
is justified in asking whether the I'M
perial chancellor is speaking freely
for the constituted authorities Of the
empire who have so far conducted
the war. He deems the answer to
these questions vital from every point
of view
Accept, sir, the renewed assur-
ances of my high consideration.
| (Signed) Robert Lansing"
Associated Press dispatches last
night announced that the president
would not make a curt and peremp-
tory rejection of the offer nor blunt
ly demand an unconditional surren-
der now because the American gov
ernment did not propose to fall into
the trap of supplying the German mil
itarists with a means of bolstering up
their argument that the Germans
are fighting a defensive war" and
that The announced objects of the al
lies are only to destroy them.
This is precisely what President
Wilson has avoided. He has met what
the allied diplomats regard as trick
with a move which will expose it, II
a trick it be. He has called upon the
i German government for an evidence
of it's good faith and should it MOI
be forthcoming he has left with the
/ German leaders the problem Of eX-
planning to their own people, already
clamoring for peace, why they are not
| willing to accept it.
! From that point the president pass
es to another which will develop, as
the exchange proceeds, whether the
! SANS''
except on the battlefield with the
German government as at present
constituted. The president tells the
chancellor that he feels he is "justi-
fed in asking whether the iraperia!
chancellor is speaking merely for the
constituted authorities of the empire
who have, so far, conducted the war
This will develop whether MaXimlllan
speaks for the German militarists
whom the president has denounced IS
! unworthy of any trust and who re-
garded treaties as scrap OF paper
or whether he speaks with the force
of the people Of nation. This is re-
garded as probably the most rapport
ant part of the presidents coImun;.
cation, fraught with potent possibili-
ties Of the most far reaching effect in
! Germany where an active allied pro-
paganda has been making rapid head
way in awakening the German people
to the necessity of assuming the re-
sponsibilities of their own govern
ment and making their own peace.
To appreciate its meaning, this
part of the presidents answer must
be considered in connection with 4
tportion of his speech Of September
81 in New York in which he declar-
ed:
I'VE are all agreed that there can
be no peace obtained by any kind Of
bargain OR compromise with the gov
ernments of the central empires, be
cause we have dealt with them al
ready and have seen them deal with
other governments that were parties
to this struggle, at Brest-Litovsk and
Bucharest They have convinced US
that they are without honor and do
not intend justice. They observe no
| covenants, accept no principle out
force and their own interest. We can
not come to terms with them. Ihey
have made it impossible. The Ger
man people must by this time be 1ully
aware that we can not accept the
word of those who have forced this
war upon us. We Go not THINK the
same thoughts or speak the same ian
guage of agreement"
It can be authoritatively stated
that this pronouncement will be the
answer to Prince MaXimilian if he
replies that he speaks for the kaiser.
1t is regarded as possible, if not
indeed likely, that the German NIL
| itarist leaders hoped for curt ana
defiant answer with which they could
rally their people to give their last
drops of blood for the protection oil
the fatherland" and with other roll
ing phrases in which the German OIL
! fetal pronouncements abound Inc
unanimous opinion among diplomats
is that the president by carefuliS
studied, most skillful reply has rop-
bed them of that opportunity, II they
desired it and has sent to the Ger
man people themselves new message
that the Unied States and the aliles
desire rothing moro than "a reign
of law, based upon the consent OF
the governed and sustained by the Or
ganizsd>opinion of mankind
It was freely conceded that hasty
roo1:s of tho DresidentS answer