The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-10-18
MUST GO
DECLARES WILSON

guard and guarantees of the mainte-
nance of the present military supre-
macy of the armies of the United
States and the allies in the field.
"He feels confident that he can
safely assume that this will also be
the Judgment and decision of the al
lies governments.
"The president feels that it is also
his duty to add that neither the gov
ernment of the United States nor,
he is quite sure the governments with
which the government of the United
States is associated as a belligerent,
! will consent to consider an armistice
so long as the armed forces of Ger
many continue the illegal and inhu-
name practices which they still per-
sist in.
cat the very time that the Ger
man government approaches the gov
ernment of the United States with
proposals of peace its submarines are
engaged in sinking passenger ships
| at sea and not the ships alone, but
the very boats in which their passen-
gers and crews seek to make their
way to safety, and in their present
enforced withdrawal from Flanders
and France the German armies are
pursuing a course of wanton destruc-
tion which has always been regarded
as in direct violation of the rules
and practices of civilized warfare,
Cities and villages, if not destroyed,
are being stripped of all they CON
tain, not only, but often of their very
inhabitants.
"The nations associated against
Germany can not be expected to
agree to a cessation of war while
acts of inhumanity, spoliation anG
desolation are being continued which
they justly look upon with horro,
)! and with burning hearts.
'It is necessary, also in order that
there may be no possibility Of mis-
understanding that the president
should very solemnly call the atten'
tion of the government of Germany
to the language and plain intent Of
one of the terms of peace which the
German government has now accept
ed. 1t is contained in the address OF
the president delivered at Mount
Vernon on the Fourt of July, last.
"It is as follows:
"'The destruction of every arbi
trary power anywhere that can sep.
arately, secretly and of its single
choice, disturb the peace of the world
or if it can not be presently destroy.
ed, at least it's reduction to virtual
impotency..'
''The power which has hitherto
controlled the Greman nation is OF
the sort here described. It is within
the choice of the German nation to
alter it. The presidents words just
quoted naturally constitute a condi-
tion precedent to peace, if peace is
to come by the action of the Ger
man people themselves. The presi-
dent feels bound to say that the
whole process of peace will, in his
judgment, depend upon the definite
ness and the satisfactory character
of the guarantees which can be given
in this fundamental matter. 1t is in
dispensable that the governments as
sociated against Germany should
know beyond a peradventure with
whom they are dealing.
"The president will make separ-
ate reply to the royal and imperial
government of Austria-Hungary.
accept, sir, the renewed assur-
ances of my high consideration" ..
(Signed) "Robert Lansing"
Frederick Odelin,
Charge d'Affaires, ad interim, in
charge of German interests in
the United States.
,