Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-11
The Presidents Poser
To Chancellor Max

President wilson's reponse upon the occasion of
the latest peace query from Berlin puts the good
faith Of Germany's professions to the acid test
Chancellor Macmillan Lad written: The German
Government accepts as a basis for peace negotia-
rcus the program laid down by the President of the
United States in his message to Congress of jan
uary S, 1918, and in his subsequent pronounce
ments" And upon that declaration, which would
be significant indeed could it be taken at face value
the Chancellor planted his request for armistce
This move. generally construed as merely another
piece of German deceit Mr.. Wilson counters with
a skiIIful simplicity which the Potsdam intriguers
will find keenly disconncerting.
He does not answer the German proposal, be it
noted Instead. he says, through the medium of
the Swiss dipIomatist, that before replying he
deems it necessary to assure himself of the exact
meaning OF the Imperial Chancellors note" Does
the ImperiaI Chancellor mean that Germany &C
cepts the Presidents terms in the and to the
extent that Its object in entering int, discussions
would be only to agree upon the practical details
of their application" Furthermore, whom does
the Chancellor speak for, merely for the constitut
ed authorities of the Empire who far have con-
Quoted the war? And finally the President firmly
declares against any consideration of armistice
so long as Teuton armies on Allied soil. THE
good faith of any discussion. he affrms would man
Powers to withdraw their forces everywhere from
invaded territory"
Now. what must Germany do if it is ready to
accept the Wilson terms, not "a basis for peace
negotiation" as the Chancellor proposes but as a
settled program concerning which the shall be no
further discussion such is necessary to the
working out practical details? Those terms set
forth explicitly in the Presidents message to Con-
January the eighteenth last and reiterated in
principle on several occasions with unchanging
fifmness, too clear to admit of doubts and are
too important, President Wilson has repeatedly
declared. to admit of compromise. Beginning with
the stipulation that there must be an end to secret
and intriguing diplomacy Cike that upon which
the Central Powers now bent) the Presidents
peace program called for freedom of the seas; the
removal far possible of economic barriers and
the establishment of equality of trade conditions
among all the nations consenting to the peace and
associating themselves for its maintenance" ade-
quate guarantees of the reduction of national
ornaments Ito the lowest points consistent with
domestic safety" and and 'open-minded adjust
ment of al colonial claims based upon a strict OH
servanee of the principle that in determining all
such questions of sovereignty the interests of the
populations concerned must have equal weight with
the equitable claims of the Government whose title
is to be determined" At this point the President
entered upon that part of his program which con-
stitutes the critical test of any peace professions
which Germany may make.
He declared uncOmpromisingly for the eyacua
ton of all Russian territory for the evacuation and
restoration of Belgium, and also of Serbia Ru-
mania and Montenegro; for the freeing OF all
French territory and the restoring of it's invaded
portions, together with the righting of 1.-The wrong
done France by Prussia in 1871 in the-matter OF
AIsace-Lorraine." He declared furthermore for "a
readjustment of the frontiers of Italy along clear
y recognizable lines of nationality; for 1.-THE freest
opportunity 1Or autonomous development Tor the
oppressed peoples of Austr1a-Hungary; for an in
dependent Polish State; for the emancipation of
nOn-Turkish nationaIities now under Ottoman rule
and for the permanent opening of the DardaneIIes
under international guarantees as free highway to
the commerce of all nations. The fourteenth and
last article of the program called for "a general
association of nations-formed under specific
covenants for the purpose of affording mutual
guarantees of political independence and territorial
integrity to great and small States alike"
The great import of all the conditions thus laid
down lies, of course, in the fact that they give