Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-23
NO PEACE REPLY
UNT|L PRESIDENT
C0NSULTS ALLIES
No indication as to Answer to
Germany But One is Reasonably
Certain, Washington Says.
MAY DECIDE IN FIELD

Washington. Oct. 23-President VIII
sons course in dealing with the latest
German note, it is believed, IS beginning
to take form.
Exchanges are in progress between
Washington and Paris, and there Is rea-
son for believing that the military mat
tsrs touched upon in the German note
have been referred by President Wilson
10 Paris for consideration by the mill
tsrv authorities of the allied govern
ments. These exchanges will be com
pleted before the President acts on the
(.erman reply. Reference oi the NH
tarv points involved To military author
ties abroad for Judgment and advice in
..ivanc,, OF action at Washington would
rornspond with what WAS done when
Bulgaria applied 10 the French general
i<sirno on the Balkan front for IN armist,c.
The Bulgarian appeal was referred to
Paris, and the decision OF the governments
of France. England and Italy was that
Bulgaria must deal with the allied general
in command in the field, who hsndied the
appeal for an armlstIce as purely milf
.rsry matter, and demanded the uncondi-
tional surrender OF Bulgaria.
GERMANS MUST SURRENDER.
The situation developed by the German
reply in unoff cal form was canvasscd
by President Wilson and hrs official adj
yrseYs at Yesterday lengthy session OF the
cabinet. Nothing developed TO war
rant any modification of the statement
that he President was standing firmly
iA tht, position that Germany must sur
render that the three steps toward
teace in the order named. must be
evacuation OF invaded territory. an
arn1istice, the terms of which will be
dictated by Foch and his military ad-
>1sess, snd then discussion OF the ap-
riication of the terms laid down Tor
peace.
There il nothing as Yet 10 indicate the
cxsct method the President will pursue
In dealing with the present note. Were
the President 10 meet the overwhelming
sentiment of congressional leaders here,
Ise would make an end Of note writing
by using the words, unconditional sur-
render 70 Germany.
POSSIBLE LINES or ACTON.
Three lines Of action have been dis
caissed:
First give curt answer. pointing
10 The decision in hrs recent note 70
Germany. and saving the tiT,e had ar
rived 10 deal with Marshal Foch.
Second-To send Il note in which The
President would stand firmly an his de-
mands. but leave the wsr open for fur
ther discussion. to reach the German
ncorle and make plain % them that evl-
denoe has not been gwen q any rCal
overthrow Of the military autoclacy q
Germany.
Third-1o send no answer whatever.
While the third OF these courses has
been freely discussed in Washington.
there is no evidence that this IS going -
be the ccurse pursued. As nearly a can
he ascertained. II is 70 he a choice be-
tween the first and second lines Of ac-
tion Indicated and in many quarters u
is not believed that the President him
self has definitely decided es yet what
HE line of action will b., further than
not 10 bargain or compromise, or accept
ANYTHING less than absolute surrender.
reilly REASONABLY CERTAIN.
That there will be reply seems "a nc
essonablv certain, hut the situation Is
wholly uncertain rs 10 Its tone and char
.cter The German answer Is not re-
s.rded as satisfactory, bur II Is not
clear how best to deal with IL There
wss strong intimation last night that the
President looked on II as wholly mil
tsry situstion TO he dealt with as { mill
tsry problem involving the demand oi
the President that evacuation OF invad-
ed territory must prccede any armisticc.