Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-23
9,reo'ae'91 Ivsoine Yesterday aesds 1916
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2S. 1918
Not an Honest Reply.


If newspaper comment IS 10 any extent
representative of public sentlment-and
there are times when it is completely so
the country has but one opinion III respect
OF the latest reply of the German govern
ment to President Wilson's peace PROPOSE
tions. And that is, that II IS evasIvc,
dishonest and far from conclusive
Most conspicuous in the evasve
features Of the reply is the attempt to
make it appear that the present Imperial
istc and militaristic government OF the
German Empire is representative ot the
German people. The only statements
set forth in support of this contention are
that larger suffrage is Ia be gwen TO the
German people. and that hereafter the
Kaiser will not be permitted To declare
war. without first securing the consent
oi the people. But these conditions are
not vet assured. and il is doubtful II
thev ever would be assured II the present
government should succeed in getting out
oi the war without being compelled 10
make lust reparation for oil the wrong and
,iniury- that has been imposed upon other
peoples by German arrogance and iiendiSh
brutality.
Hitherto the representation of the
people in the German Empire has not
been endowed with an influence on the
formation of the German government,
the reply frankly admits. Nor is there
any dependable evidence that this CON
dition is to be changed to a material
extent Certainly il will not be as long
a. the kaiser and his confederateS OF the
German Great General Staff retain thGr
E,rcScn, autocratir powers. And As long
a. tb- conditions prevails, there will be
no peace negotiations with the German
government President Wilson has SAID
tins, and reiterated il. and his position
has been indorsed by the people OF the
United States and by the governments
OF all the countries engaged in the war
against German domination
Hypocrisy IS a dominant note through
out the reply, and actual falsehood is not
lacking The German government pro-
tests against the Teproach of illegal and
inhumane actions made against the Ger
man land and sea forces and thereby
against the German people" This, IN
the face OF a mountain of appalling facts,
is most astounding The German troops
are under most strict instructions 10
spare private property and to exercise
care for the population 10 the best OF their
ability Where transgressions occur in
spite of these instructions the guilty
are being punished = Volumes of un-
impea chabie testimony, taken under oath:
thousands of mute but eloquent instances
of brutality and vandalism, give the lie
to this assumption of virtue. If such
Instructions were ever gwen 10 the SOL
diers OF Germany, II must have been
with the wink of an eve or other mani
festations of insincerity, equivalent to
information that the instructions were
not meant Tor compliance. Not only
privates In the ranks, but officers Of the
German army, were guilty of the many
acts of savage barbarism set down 10
Germsny's disgrace.
Vain will be the German appeal for
any amcable arrangements, involving
d cessation of hostilities, for German
evacuation of foreign soil. German occu-
patton followed German invasion, in
defiance of international Law and of all
sense of honor German force was
exerted 10 the limit for the purposes of
invasion. Force to the limit, and nothing
else, must be employed in compelling
evacuation When the last German SOL
der has been driven. at the point of the
bayonet or under the heaviest fire of the
pursuers' guns, from the soil OF Belgium
and France, Serbia, Rumania, Russia,
Poland, and any other country on which
the orutal hand of Germany has been
laid, it will be time enough to talk about
q cessation OF hostihties for any purpose
Whatever.
II may be that President Wilson will
not consider it necessary TO make formal
reply TO this impudent and untruthful
st1eed from the German Foreign Office.
He could well afford TO treat ii with silent
contempt. The best answer will b.
found in the victorious advance Of the
Allies armies OH all the war fronts,
which promises % soon nd ali alien terri
tory Of the presence of the cruel, savage,
As1rtless invader. When this movement
II crowned with entire success, and the
Aiher crosr the border linc and naugurate
sssh!e operations on German territory
~ may Afford TO listen to propositions
Of peace from Germany, and not before |
And even then, there will be only one
condition of peace or OF even an armistiee
---anoonditlons surrender