, 1918-10-31
TEXT OF GERMAN
NOTE TO WILSON
REPLY PARTLY AGREES TO U. G.
TERMS FOR ARMISTIcE.
Berlin Denies Devastation and An
Complete Change in Gov
eminent, Giving People Ballot.
western Newspaper Union New. Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
London. The German reply to
President Wilson's note. the text Of
which was received here Monday, Oct.
Il, says Germany hopes the United
States will approve of no demand
which would be irreconcilable with
the honor of the German people and
with the opening of the way to peace
with justice.
Germany protests against the ref
rences of President Wilson to illegal
and inhumane acts.
Full Text of Solf's Note.
The text of the German note is az
follows:
I'm accepting the proposal for an
evacuation of occupied territories, the
German government has started from
the that the procedure of
this and of the conditions
of an armistice should be left to the
Judgment 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
The German government suggests
to the President that an opportunity
should be given for fixing the details.
II trusts that the President of the
Onlleu states VIII approve OF no de-
mand which would be irreconcilable
with the honor of the German people,
and with opening a way to a peace Of
justice.
against the reproach of illegal and in
humane actions made against the Ger
man land and sea forces, and thereby
against the German people. For in the
covering of "A retreat distinctions will
always be necessary, and they are car
ried out in SO far as is permitted by
international law. The German troops
are under most strict Instructions to
spare private property and to exercise
their ability. Where transgressions oo-
cur in spite of these Instructions the
guilty are being punished.
THE German government further de-
MES that the German navy in sinking
ships has ever purposely destroyed
Ifeboats with their The
German government proposes with re-
be cleared up by neutral commissions
In order to avoid anything that
might hamper the work of peace the
German government has use orders
to be dispatched to all submarine COM
manders precluding the torpedoing Of
passenger ships. without. however. for
antee that these orders will reach
every single submarine at sea before
"As a fundamental condition for
peace the President prescribes the de-
struction of every arbitrary power that
can separately, secretly and of Its own
single choice disturb the a of the
world.
this the German government re-
plies:
Hitherto the representation of the
people in the German empire has not
been endowed with an Influence on
the formation of the government.
"The constitution did not provide for
a concurrence of representation of the
people in decisions of peace and war.
These conditions have Just now under
gone n undamenta chanUa new
government has been formed in COM
piete with the wishes tprin-
cipleD of the. representation of tho
people. based On equal. universal. So
cret. direct franchise.
The leaders of the great parties of
the Reichstag are members of this gov
eminent. In the future no government
can take or continue in office without
possessing the confidence of a majority
of the Reichstag. :
ChancelIor's Responsibility.
THE responsibility of the chancellor
of the empire to the representation Of
the people is being legally developed
and ~safeguarded. The first act of the
new government has been to lay before
the Reichstag a bill to alter the con-
stitutfon of the empire SO that the con-
sent of the people is required for de-
eisions on war and peace.
The permanence of the new system
Is. however. guaranteed not only by
constitutional safeguards. but also by
the unshakeable determination OF the
German people whose vast majority
stands behind these reforms and de-
mand their energetic continuance.
THE question of the Prestdent-with
whom he and the governinsn ts asso-
ciated against Germany are dealing
Is therefore in a clear. un-
~equivocal manner by the statement that
the offer of peace and an armistice has
come from a government which is free
from any arbitrary and irresponsible
Influence, and is supported by the APP
prevail of an overwhelming majority of
the German people.
(Signed) SOLF.