The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-10-15
UNCONDITIONAL
SURRENDER IS ONLY
COURSE FOR HUNS
Reply to German Peace
Proposal Relieves Fear Of Defeat
by Diplomacy - WIN Either
Force Unconditional Sur
render or Revolution
In Germany 0bsery-
ers Believe.

Washington, October 14-President
Wilson has answered Germanys peace
proposal with a decision which not
only fulls the expectations of support
ers of his diplomacy, but also dispels
the fear of those who predicted he
would substitute victories at arms
with defeats at diplomacy.
No peace with kaiserism, autocracy
must go; no armistice can even be
thought of while Germany continues
her atrocities on land and sea; one
can not be considered unless it fully
is dictated by the Allied commanders
in the field in such terms as absolute
ly provide safeguards and guarantees
that Germany's part will not be a
scrap of paper.
This in a few words, is the Presi-
dents answer:
If II does not bring capitula-
ton WHICH may be more than an
unconditional surrender, Allied
diplomats and American officials
believe II may cause a revolution
In Germany.
Beyond question it speaks for the
Entente allies as we'll as the United
States.
The dispatch of the presidents re-
ply was followed by the issuance of
this formal statement at the White
House by Secretary Tumulty:
1.-THE government will continue to
send over 100000 men with their sup
plies every month and there will be
no relaxation of any kind"
Quite outside of the formal phrases
of a diplomatic document, was Presi-
dent Wilson's word to the world that
he had no thought of stopping the
fighting at this stage.
| The Senate chamber rang with the
Applause of senators as the Presi-
kdents answer was read few minutes
after it had been announced at the
State Department. Senator Lodge, the
Presidents chief critic in his course
until today, issued, statement ex
pressing his qualification at the Presi
dents decision. Opinion at the capito
and throughout official Washington
Twas unanimous in approval.
The official note which will conve!
the Presidents decision to the German
government and more important, t.
the German people, was delivered to
day by Secretary Lansing to thu
charge of the Swiss legation who ha
been acting as the intermediary. |
was given out publicly by Mr.. Lansing
at the State Department at six o'clocl
this evening.
One outstanding point which doe!
not appear in the Presidents note
point on which the world has beer
asking questions, can be answered to-
night.
| men lllt ltSlutHl utCldlCu
the wrong done to France when Ger
many took Alsace-Lorralne should be
righted, he meant that Alsace-Lor-
raine should be returned to France,
Those who contend the Presidents
decision. arranges the situation fol-
something more than an unconditional
surrender base it on the agreement that
he has now passed the stage where
he might have accepted a surrender OF
the German military and naval forces
and left the Hohenzollern autocracy
on the throne.
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.
An armistice, it is true, might come
! first and the details of the downfall