The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-09
NO QUARTER FOR JUNKERS.

dent Wilson's reply to the German peace
note.
First-An armistice will not even be
considered until all German armies are Off
conquered soil.
Second-It must be made very clear
whether the German government wants to
accept in full the Presidents peace terms,
or merely discuss them at the peace table.
Third-It must be made very clear
whether the German chancellor represents
the Imperial German government, or the
German people.
Despite it's courteous tone, and the
Scotch habit of answering one question by
asking another, there is an iron hand be-
meath the glove.
It is unconditional surrender" for
,Junkerism as differentiated from the Ger
man people, couched in diplomatic phrases
and it leaves the onus of continuing the
war on the PAM Germans and not on the
Allied powers.
No words were used carelessly IN the
note. It is too brief, and was too carefully
studied to permit of that, Therefore the
word "vital" is worth studying. If 1t
means anything it means that no peace
discussion can be held until the German
government agrees to accept IN full the
Presidents terms. The peace conference
will not be a discussion of which of those
terms will be accepted, but only of how
they can be worked out in concrete form.
They must be accepted in principle. That
is materially different from making them
1.-THE basis Of negotiations.
Again, even if those terms are accepted
by the German government, the President
desires to know what constitutes the Ger
man government That is 'vital If
that phrase means anything, it means that
the Allies will not discuss peace terms with
the present German government, but only
with a government representing the Ger
man people, We will hold no parley with
the government that tore up the Belgian
treaty, or that signed the Brest-LitvOsk
treaty and promptly broke it, or with the
government that murdered women and chill
dren, sank the Lusitania, bombed hospitals,
and broke every law Of humanity IN its
conduct Of the war.
It is an affirmation of our stand to hold
no dealings with a government that has
placed itself beyond the pale of civiIiza-
ton. We won't parley with outlaws and
murderers We won't meet the Hun at a
peace table now or in the future.
The answer is a direct challenge to the
German people.
Throw off your present rulers, get
decent government that represents your
views and with which we can talk peace,
then accept our terms and we will hold
conference to put them in concrete form. -
In plain English, that is what the Presi-
dent ha- answered. He doesn't demand
unconditional surrender of the German
people, but does demand unconditional
surrender Of the junkers and the Hohen-
zollerns We wont even discuss peace
terms with them, or permit them to accept
our terms. It is mo quarter" for them,
but the hope of just peace for the Ger
man people.
Meanwhile there will be no armistice.
The Allied armies are not to be denied the
victory that seems within their grasp. The
German armies are not to be permitted to
get out of occupied territory unscathed.
They must fight their way out if they can
get out at all, and that is becoming their
pressing problem now.
Mild though the message sounds it is
as unrelenting as the will of our "Scotch
schoolmaster. 1t meets every requirement
of the most belligerent American, and yet
leaves the German government no leg to
stand upon politically The blame for con-
tinuing the war is on the shoulders Of the
Prussian junkers and pan-Germans. The
German people, cannot be rallied with the
cry of war for the defense of the Father
land. Mr. Wilson has made it war for
the defense of junkerism and Hohenzol-
lernism
How long will Germany fight such
Warf