The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-10-26
President Wilson'S Reply to
Germany's Latest Peace
Note.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Oct. q, 1915

nave bu0 nOuOT W NChuOWlcOS0
the receipt of your note Of the 23rd
transmitting q communication under
date of the 10th from the German gov
erpment, and to advise you that the
President has instructed me to reply
thereto IS follows:
Having received the solemn and ex-
plicit assurance of the German govern
ment that it unreservedly accepts the
terms of peace laid down in his ad-
dress to the Congress of the United
States on the 9Th day of January. 1918.
and the principles of settlement enun-
ciated in his subsequent addresses.
particularly the address of the 9th OF
September. and that it desires to dis.
cuss the details of their application.
and that this wish and purpose ema.
nate, not from those who have hitherto
dictated German policy, and conduct
ed the present war on Germany's be-
half. but from ministers who speak for
the majority of the Reichstag and for
an overwhelming majority of the Ger
man people: and having received also
the explicit promise of the present
German government that the humane
rules of civilized warfare will be OBJ
served both on land and sea by the
German armed forces, the President
Of the United States feels that he can
not decline to take up with the gov.
ernments with which the government
Of the U Aited States IS associated the
question Of an armistice.
He deems it his duty to say again,
however, that the only armistice he
would feel justified in submitting for
consideration would be one which
should leave the United States and the
powers associated with her in y posi-
ton to enforce any arrangements that
may be entered into and to make a re.
newal of hOstiiities on The part of Ger
many impossible.
The President has, therefore. trans
mitted his correspondence with the
present German authorities to the GOV
ernmcnts with which the government
Of the United States is associated as q
belligerent with the suggestion that, if
those governments are disposed to ef-
feet peace upon the terms and princi.
pies indicated, their military advisers
and the military advisers OF the United
States be asked 70 submit to the GOV.
ernments sssOcia ted against Germany
the necessary terms IT such III armis-
tice Us will fully protect the interests
Of the peoples involved. aud ensure t.
the ass ciated governments III. unre-
strictpd power to safeguard and en-
force the details OF the peace to which
the German government has agreed,
provided they deem such an armistice
possible from the military point OF
view. Should SUCH terms OF xrmistice
be suggested. their acceptance by Ger
many will afford the best concrete evil
dsnce of her uneQnivocal acceptance
Ct the terms and principles Of peace
from which the whole action proceeds.
The President would deem himself
lacking 10 candOr did he not point ont,
10 the franl est possible terms, the rea-
son why extraordinary safeguards
must be demanded. Significant and i'm.
pOrtant Us the constitutional changes
seem 70 be which are spoken of by the
German foreign secretary in his note
of the 10Th Of Oc'Ober, it does not ap.
pear that the principle Of = govern
ment responsible to- the German people
has yet been fully worked out or that
any guarantees either exist Or are in
contemplation thst the alterations of
principle now partially agreed upon
will be permanent. Moreover. it does
not appear that the heart of the pres
ent ditlicuIty has been reached. Itmay
be that future wars have been brought
under the control Of the German peo-
pie. but the present war has not been,
and It 10 with the present war that We
are dealing.
''It 10 evident that the German peo-
pie have no means Of commanding the
acquiescence of the military authori-
ties Of the empire in the popular will;
that the power Of the king OF Prussia
to control the policy of the empire is
that the Determining mi.
Aatise still remains with those who
have hitherto tseR the masters of
Germany.
Feeling that the whole peace of the
world depends now on plain speaking
and straightforward action the Presi.
dent deems It bis duty to say, without
any attempt to soften what may seem
hash words, that the nations of the
world do not and cannot trust the
word OF those who have hitherto been
the masters of German policy, and to
point out once more that 10 concluding
peace and attempting to undo the ip-
liuite injuries aud injustices OF this
war the g0varp0ent Ut the United
States esuSsOt deal with any but veri-
table repres ntstives Vt the German
people who have been assured Ut 81
genuine constitutional standtog ~ the
real rulers OF Germany Ifft must
deal with the military masters and the |
autocrats of German v
now, or 1t it 10 likely to have to deal
win abeu later Ia regard to the inter-
Aat1Oaal obligations of the German
e0p(rA II mast de0soA, act peaoe 20
ROTATIONS, but surrender. Nothing
can b geineds leaving this esseutisi
Thing unsstd.
accent, sir. the renewed assurances
Of my high consideration.
(SA&nod) ROBERT LANSING.
mr. Qf06ericIk 0adarlln ohnroa