The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-14
TRUST WILSON TO
SOLVE PROBLEM
Nothing Beyond Unconditional
Surrender Will Sat.
isfy People.
PREPARI NG HIS ANSWER
No Trust to Be Placed in Mere
Words Of Germany, AL
ready Beaten.
(By John Edwin Nevin.)

(By Jonn EDWIN NeVin.)
Washington, Oct. 14.-Q. N. S)-
President Wilson began preparation
of the reply OF the United States to
1850 today. For more than an hour,
before the chief executive, Secretary
of state Robert Lansing. Secretary OF
War Newton ID. Baker, Secretary OF
the Navy Josephus Daniels, and Col.
T. NJ. House. the presidents official
adviser. discussed the situation brought
about by Germany's apparent accept
ance Of Americas peace plans.
Discuss Text.
II was understood that an agreement
was reached as to the next move. The
conference discussed the unofficial text
as the official note was not delivered
to Secretary Lansing until he had re-
turned to the state department. How
ever, Charge Frederick Oederlin OF the
Swiss legation, assured Secretary Lam
sing over the telephone that the official
note in no way differed from the un-
official document.
Not the slightest intimatlon was
Eforthcombing as to the position taken
by the president. The cabinet officers
very frankly explained that only the
president was in a position to speak
in the matter. They said that any
unofficial intimation or announcement
might very seriously complicate the
situation that was fraught with the
most serious possibilities.
Trust Wilson.
"The American people must walt In
patience until an announcement can
be made" explained one of the cabi-
net members. "They can trust the
president to take steps to meet the
situation as he has met all that have
developed to date"
And that was all that could be
learned anywhere In official quarters.
The president was examining all OF
the angles of the German reply and he
would speak for the United States;
but until he had spoken officially the
country was expected to trust him and
refrain from guessing.
Germanys Hour Has Come.
Meanwhile an almost unanimous de-
mand that he tell Germany that her
hour to secure peace on any other
terms but unconditional surrender has
passed, was in evidence throughout the
capital. Senators Of both political
faiths led In this demand. They de-
clared that it would be the height OF
folly for the United States 0r the
allies to trust Germany at the present
time. They recalled the many In
stances of broken covenants which
have marked the progress Of the war.
And they declared that they would OPP
pose any mercy at this time.
The complete collapse Of the German
military machine is in sight. these
leaders declared, and they insisted that
the only reason why Germany had ac-
cepted the presidents fourteen arti-
cles of peace was because the military
leaders realized this.
Two Communications.
There was we'll l-defined report In
diplomatic circles that the Swiss
charge had two communications from
Germany. The second one was reported
to be the details of the secret decree
signed by the kaiser on Sept. 80, and
which has never been made public.
There has been a great deal Of gues-
sing regarding this decree but no off,
cial information has reached Washing
ton. One surmise by a leading am
bassador, made unofficially, however.
was that this decree transferred the
power to make war or peace from the
Swiss legation, the officials refused to
discuss this report In any way. They
explained that they had been In
structed to deliver the German reply
of Saturday to the president, and
await developments, and that this was
what they would do. and no more nor
less.
Congressional leaders hoped through
out the morning that the president
would decide to come before that body
and take 1t entirely into his confidence
on the international situation.
Senator Gore, democrat. presented
resolution in which the senate would
"advise the president" to deal only with
the elected representatives Of Germany
and Austria Hungary in discussing
Reed Warns Senate.
Warning the senate not to sound "a
false note on peace or the presidents
attitude toward it," Senator Reed, Of
Missouri, declared in the senate this
afternoon that he was confident that
the country knew that 1t twas impos-
sible for Woodrow Wilson to fritter
away the fruits of this war;"
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