The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-16
ARMIsT|cE NOT POSSIBLE.
PRESIDENT HAS NOT INDICATED
NATURE OF REPLY TO GER
MANY'S LAST NOTE.

Indications Found That Germany
Having Failed to Win Victory Seeks
to Have Civil Authorities Arrange
Peace and That Failing Revolution
May be Expected.
Washington, Oct. 13.-The govern
ment asks the American people to
withhold their judgment on Ger
many's note until President Wilson
has received the official communica-
ton and has had opportunity to con-
slider it,
The official document had not been
received in Washington tonight when
the president returned from New
York. 1t probably will be here to-
morrow when the president with his
advisers among them Secretary Ra-
ker, who returned today from the
Western battle front, undoubtedly
prepared to give him some inside in
formation on the broken condition Of
the German military power which
the world necessarily does rot know
at this time.
Tonight, as last night, no official
of the government felt justified in
speaking to guide public opinion in
the direction of the views which are
being formed. The Associated Press
is enabled to say, however, that these
views are rapidly crystalizing and the
next step will be taken promptly
probably sooner than may be expect
ed.
President Wilson is expected to
first decide if Foreign Secretary Solf's
reply to the inquiries, addressed to
Chancellor Macmillan, warrants him
in presenting Germany's original pro-
posal to the entente allies. It should
be borne in mind that the presidents
inquiry merely was move ad inter-
i'm, in which he proposed nothing,
bound himself to nothing, and merely
asked some questions which, he de-
clared, required an answer before he
could go further.
If the president puts the PROPOSE
ton before the entente it probably
will draw quick reply. Dispatches
last night from London, quoting the
London Express as announcing the
British, French anu Italian govern
ments had reached a unanimous de-
cision for a line Of common action,
were regarded as being deeply signi-
can't
Lacking official guidance on which
to base prediction, observers are
forced to record indications.
The indications are that there will
be no armistice, and that if the en-
tente allies were disposed to agree TO
one they probably would demand as
guarantees of German faith that such
places at Metz, Strasburg, Trieste, and
possibly Essen be placed in the hands
of entente forces to guarantee ful-
nlIment of Germanys words. II
Germany expects that by agreeing to
the evacuation of occupied territories
she will exact the evacuation of Ger
man colonies occupied by entente
forces, Germany's statesmen have
made another mistake. A reference
to President Wilson's inquiry SHOWS
that he spoke distinctly in reference
TO invaded territory occupied by
troops of the central powers.
When the American capital recov-
cred it's balance after the surprise OF
Foreign Secretary Soils note it found
! ire unofficial opinion divided into two
distinct lines.
One, shared largely by the Repub-
1icans in congress, is inclined to the
view that Senator Lodges predlctlon
of situation which may threaten the
substitution OF deliberation OF dlplo-
macy for victories at arms mas oeen
fulfilled.
The other confident in the success
Of President Wilson's diplomacy and
probably forming its conclusions
from close knowledge of what the
government is planning is very certain
that the president has created a slt-
nation where he now can deliver an
c,her stroke which will bring ABOUT
unconditional surrender or throw the
kaiser and the German mllltarlsts
comnletelv out of any power they
may retain.
There is a general feeling that the
next move will confront the military
nartv with the choice Of such an un-
ceptable to all the allied cooelllger'
ents or a genuine political revolution
IN Germany which will bring about
one.
It has been pointed out thai
President Wilson's inquiry to Chan
ceilor Maximilian to develop Wheth'
er the chancellor merely was speak
inc for the German leaders who nave
been conducting the war prooaplA
was skillfully framed to pave the way
for an opportunity to inform the Ger
man people directly that no covenants
of peace can be made with the mei
who have betrayed the world
The present German governmen
which as Secretary Solf says, wa
supported of the majority of the relch
stag. was formed through an I'M
neria1 decree which permitted II
There is nothing before any OF tn
allied governments, so far as is known
"a show that there has been an:
change in the German system Whlci
n