The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1918-10-25
TEXT OF PRESIDENTS
REPLY TO GERMANY

Washington text of President
Wilson's answer to the German note
in regard to an armistice and peace,
follows:
Sir: In reply to the communica-
ton of the German government, dated
the 18th instant, which you handed me
today, | have the honor to request you
to transmit the following answer:
1.-THE unqualified acceptance by the
present German government and by
large majority of the reichstag OF
the terms laid down by the president
of the United States of America in his
address to the congress of the United
States on the Sth of January, 1918, and
in his subsequent address justifies the
president in making frank and direct
statement of his decision with regard
to the communications of the German
government of the 8th and 18th of
October, 1918.
1T must be clearly understood that
the process of evacuation and the con-
ditions of an armistice are matters
which must be left to the judgment
and advice of the military advisers
of the government of the United States
and the allied governments, and the
president feels it his duty to say that
no arrangement can be accepted by
the government of the United States
which does not provide absolute salts
factory safeguards and guarantees of
the maintenance of the present mill
tary supremacy of the armies of the
United States and the allies in the
field.
"He feels confident that he can
safely assume that this will also be
the judgment and decision of the al
lied governments.
THE president feels that it is also
his duty to add that neither the gov
eminent of the United States, nor, he |
is quite sure, the governments with
which the government of the United |
States is associated as a belligerent |
will consent to consider an armistice |
so long as the armed forces of Ger |
many continue the illegal and inhu-
name practices which they still persist
in.
eat the very time that the German
government approaches the govern
ment of the United States with pro-
posals of peace it's submarines are en-
gagged in sinking the passenger ships
at sea and not the ships alone, but
the very boats in which their passen-
gers and crews seek to make their
way to safety; and in their present
enforced withdrawal from Flanders
and France the German armies are
pursuing a course of wanton destruc-
ton which has always been regarded
as in direct violation of the rules and
practices Of civilized warfare Cities
and villages, if not destroyed, are be-
ing stripped of all they contain, not
only, but often of their very iniIabi-
tantS.
The nations associated against
Germany cannot be expected to agree
to a cessation of arms while acts of
spoliation and desolation
are being continued which they Justly
look upon with horo4.r end with -l,ur1a
ing hearts.
1T is necessary, also, in order that
there may be no possibility of mis-
that the president
should very solemnly call the atten-
ton of the government of Germany to
the language and plain intent of one
of the terms of peace which the Ger
man government has now accepted. 1t
is contained in the address Of the
president delivered at Mount Vernon
on the Fourth of July last.
1T is as follows:
1.-The destruction of every arbitra
ry power anywhere that can separate
ly, secretly and of it's single choice,
disturb the peace Of the world; or, if
it cannot be presently destroyed, at
least its reduction to virtual impo-
tency'
THE power which has hitherto con-
trolled the German nation is of the
sort here described 1t is within the
choice of the German nation to alter
it. The presidents words just quoted
constitute a condition prece-
dent to peace, if peace is to come by
the action of the German people them
selves. The president feels bound to
say that the whole process of peace
will, in his Judgment, depend upon the
and the satisfactory char
acter of the guarantees which can be
given in this fundamental matter. 1t
is indispensable that the governments
associated against Germany should
know beyond peradventure with
whom they are dealing.
The president will make a sepa-
rate reply to the royal and imperial
government of Austria-Hungary.
accept, sir, the renewed assur.
ances of my high consideration.
(Signed) ROBERT LANSING.
FREDERICK ODERLIN,
Charge d'AffaireS. ad interim,