The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-22
This the President is
70 make clear without delay.


commander. This the President ia |
expected ID make clear without delay. !
The German reservation that moth
ing be done that would be irreconcil-
able with German honor probably will
be put up to Marshal Foch. The
President Ii not going to- be placed In
the false position OF being mediator
between his allies and his enemies. no
matter how hard Germany tries.
German Position weaker.
The German answer did not cause
great surprise here because II had
been forecast. Whereas the e&pecta-
ton when tho Presidents note was
sent a week ago that Germany would
resent its tone and stlffen her resist
ance for a while, developments OF the
last few days have Indicated that con-
ditions in Germany were such thu. ac-
ceptance OF the terms was almost Inn
perative.
Despite the fact that the language
n involved and ambiguous and despite
certain conditions which the German
Government itself has injected into the
question of evacuation and an affiis-
tice, the German answer is an accept
ance, although an awkward one. With
respect to the Presidents charges OF
inhumane actions on the part Of Ger
many the German Government coun-
ters by disputing the facts cited by the
President, but this does not involve
contesting the principles contained In
the communication.
In the Presidents last note to Ger
many, II Is pointed out, distinct and
separate references to the armistice
proposal and the proposal for peace
were made.
On the more immediate question OF
evacuation and armistice the President
said: .--.-.
IN must be clearly understood that
the process of evacuation and the con-
ditions OF an armietice are matters
which must be left to the Judgment
and advice OF the military advisers of
the Government of the United States
and the allied Governments, and the
President feels II 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 mill
tary supremacy OF the armies of the
United States and the allies in the
Geld"
wants Vote. In ArranEements.
The German government now re-
piles "that the procedure OF this evac-
nation and Of the conditions Of an
armistice should be left to the judg-
nent of the military advisers and that
the actual standard OF power on both
sides In the field has to form the basis
for arrangements safeguarding and
guaranteeing this standard"
Obviously this means that the Ger
man High Command must. according
10 the German Government, have an
equal voice with the allied and Amer
lean military leaders in arranging
terms Of the evacuation and armistice,
and that the Entente and the United
States must submit to German de-
marids for Safeguarding Germany's
present military strength, just as
Germany must submit to enemy de-
nands safeguarding theirs. Otherwise
there could be no possible arrange
ment for safeguarding and guarantee
Ing "the actual standard of power on
both sides"
In one sense this Is a reiteration Of
the German suggestion for mixed COM
mission to arrange for the terms OF
Afmistice, except that the mixed commits
sion is to be made up exclusively Of
SS.tttkaexp 10 hat "A
German idea Of mixed commission was
authoritatively described as entirely un-
acceptable. With the allied military sit
uation as II Is there IL little reason to
believe that such conditions would be
acceded to by Foch and Haig and Per-
shing.
"standard' Dimcult to Fix.
The question Of the "actuai standard
OF power on both Sides would be diff
cult to determine II the Allies were to
agree to 1t. Gen. Pershing's army. for
example. is now opposed by force
which has made Its progress very slow
for some days. and in his very last re-
port Gen. Pershng speaks OF the con-
centration OF German divisions holding
his troops at bay. Therefore the actual
standard of power here Is about equal
for the present. at least in the eyes of
military men.
The standard of power existing be-
tween Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's
fcfces and the opposing German forces
appears to be slightly in favor of the
British. but here. too, 1t Is difficult to
gauge accurately because the Germans
are now engaged IN n strategic retreat
which Is admittedly being carried out
In a masterful manner. but which by its
very nature involves withdrawal before
The allied forces.
Germans Can Hold Until Spring.
The consensus of General Staff off,
GERS Is that Marshal Foch now has a
certain margin OF superiority over the
enemy, but 1t Is not commended that this
superiority Is in any sense decisive.
The view Is freely expressed that the
Germans. when they fall back to pre-
pared positions. will have sufficient
til American reenforcements reach the
battle line next spring.
with the added American man power
and the tremendous increase In gun power
coming from the United States, aside
from increases In equipment, airplanes,
&c. the military experts are emphatic
in stating that the superiority will be
decisive by next spring or summer But
there Is no information to show that IL
Il really superior In any marked degree
now.
II the allied military authorities vir-
tuaiiy we're to give Germany credit fol
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