The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-25
President Tells Berlin Surrender
Is Oh My Way Peace Can
Be Secured.
WRITE S POINTED NOTE
Answer to Germany Says Nations OF
World Do Not and Cannot Trust
Wore of Those Debating
German Policy.

Washing ton, Oct. 25.-The answer
of Preside mt Wilson to Germany def
nitely lea ives it to Foch."
+, The ans wer is on the lines of the
advice Civ en- to the Senate by Senator
Nelson of Minnesota and precludes
the possib ility of IN armistice, unless
the Allied commanders deem an arm
istice desirable. If they deem it de-
sirable, tn ey can state the guarantees
they will require, and they will be
such that Germany will be disarmed.
The Pr esident's answer probably
will come nearer satisfying the Amer
lean Poop lie than anything that has
been uttered from the White House
since the German peace negotiations
were started.
Its cont ext continues to develop the
policy which President Wilson has
pursued all along namely, the further
ing of the d~isintegration of the house
of HohenAollern.
The President is not caught by the
specious announcement of a constitu-
tional efprm in Germany, which on
the face of it was no reform at all,
but was m erely a promise of a possible
reform after the wal and when a
league of nations shall have been prac-
tically effected"
The Pr esident makes his position
clear. With the house of H~ehenzollern
there will be no negotiation. So long
as ii remains at the head of the Ger
mar COVE rnment, the terms demanded
will be unconditional surrender.
Surrender Is Demanded.
The word unconditional is not used,
but the President comes nearer voic-
ing it than in any other communica-
ton. This note is not afraid to use
the word surrender" and it is spoken
clearly and decisively.
Two things are clearly up to the
German people. If they are sincere in
their desire for a cessation of hostili-
ties, they can approach the Allied com
mander and say to him: "we are will
ing to give you any guarantee you
may wish. What we want is an OPP
portunity to lay down our arms"
IL they do not do this, the RESPONSE
bility for carrying on the wal is clear
ly on the German government.
II they want to approach the Allied
powers W it'll a proposition of negotia-
ton. they can do so, but after having
thrown the kaiser overheard.
This suggestion that a negotiated
peace Is possible after the German
governme mt has shown convincing evil
dence of it's reform and democratiza.
ton, open up the only possible oppor-
tunity for further discussion. But no
policy is settled upon as to the nature
of these negotiations.
Truce and ParIeys Denied.
The two questions uppermost were
that of the armistice and of the ac.
c~eptance of the German plea that their
governme mt had been democratized
In effect. President Wilson refuses
one and denies the other.
The decision to leave the question OF
a truce to the Allied military com
manders was one that was inevitable
i'm the nature of things. as the ques
ton is purely military.
IL Germany wants peace she wants II
for one or two reasons. If she wants
it because she is beaten, she will sub
NIT to the conditions which the Allied
commanders impose. If she asks fol
an armistice merely as a trick, she
cannot and will MOI submit to these
conditions and the war will go on.
Free and open discussion among the
Allies preceded the publication of the
President 'ssnote.