American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-10-15

The situation in the world war is
more hopeful for peace in the near
future than it has ever been. Not
only has Germany apparently ac-
ceded to the demands formulated by
President Wilson, but the armies OF
the allies are raining telling blows
and forcing the enemy to continu-
Gus retreat. Success is crowning the
efforts of the allies on all fronts. The
long expected peace proposal has
been received from Turkey, and Ger
many has had her answer. Austria
will be answered separately.
1t is now up to Germany, whether
the war comes to an immediate end,
or whether peace must be forced by
further defeats
President Wilson has answered the
peace proposals of Germany in a
manner that sounds the death of au-
tocracy While couched in soft Ian
guage. it specifically calls attention to
one of the conditions, that making it
impossible for any one man hereafter
to plunge the world in war.
Beyond question the reply speaks
for all the allies. The statement is
forcibly made that an armistice is i'm
possible so long as Germany contin-
ues her submarine raids or the mis-
treatment of civilians in occupied ter
ritory, or the looting of property or
the burning of towns which are being
evacuated.
The dispatch of the presidents reply
was followed by the issuance of the
following statement by Secretary Tu-
multy:
THE government will continue to
send over 250000 men with their sup
plyies every month and there will be
no relaxation of any kind"
One outstanding point which does
not appear in the presidents note
a point on which the world has been
asking questions, can be answered
now. When the president declared
that the wrong done to France when
Germany took Alsace-Lorraine should
be righted, he meant that Alsace-Lor-
raine should be returned to France
Those who contend the presidents
decision arranges the situation for
something more than an uncondition-
al surrender base it on the argument
that he has now passed the stage
where he might have accepted a sur
render of the German military and
naval forces and left the Hohenzol-
lern autocracy on its throne.
Kaiserism Is Doomed.
Mr.. Wilson. according to this view
has now finally informed the German
people that if they want peace they
can only attain it by getting rid of the
kaiser and his system.
The presidents note is as follows:
Washington Oct. 14-President Will
son today answered Germany's peace
prOffer with a note declaring anew
that there can be no peace with
German government controlled by a
military autocracy and no thought of
an armistice while German atrocities
continue on land and sea.
The text of the presidents answer
follows:
Sir:
In reply to the communication Of
the German government, dated the
18th instant, which you handed me
today. have the honor to request you
to transmit the following answer:
The unqualified acceptance by the
present German government and by
a large majority of the reichstag of
the terms laid down by the president
of the United States of America in his
address to the congress of the United
States on the Sth of January. 1918,
and in his subsequent addresses just
ihes the president in making a frank
and direct statement of his decision
with regard to the communication of
the German government of the Sth
and 18th of October, 1918.
1t must be clearly understood that
the process of evacuation and the con-
ditions Of an armistice are matters
which must be left to the judgment
tsad advice of the military advisers of
the government of the United States
and the allied governments. and the
president feels it his duty to say that
no arrangement can be accepted by
the government of the United States
which does not provide absolutely sat
isfactory safeguards and guarantees
of the maintenance of the present mil
itary supremacy Of the armies of the
United States and the allies in the
field.
He feels confident that he can safe
" assume that this will also be the
Judgment and decision of the allied
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 beiligerent
will consent to consider an armistice
so long as the armed forces of Ger
many continue the illegal and inhu-
man practices which they still persist
in.
At the very time that the German
government approaches the govern
ment of the United States with pro-
posals OF peace. its submarines are
engaged in sinking passenger ships at