Mexico Missouri message., 1918-10-31
Germany's Tricky Peace Move Is
Baked by President Wilson's
Diplomacy.
ARMIES OPPOSE ARMISTICE
cambraI Captured and Huns Defen-
slve Line Smashed, Compelling Gen.
eral Retreat-Yanks Success
ful In champaane-Beirut
Occupied by the French.
BY EDWARD w. PlcKARo.

Prince Max of Baden, the new i'm
perial chancellor Of Germany, re-
questing President Wilson to arrange
for an armistice and a subsequent dis
cussion of peace terms, and stating
that Germany accepted the presidents
IA points as a basis for the negot!a-
tiOns, evoked three separate and dis
tinct replies. President Wilson an
swered that he could not suggest an
armistice while the German armies
we're outside the boundaries of Ger
many, and then asked whether the
German government accepted the
terms laid down by him and whether
its object In entering discussions was
only to agree upon the practical de-
tails Of their application; furthermore,
he wanted to know whether the chan
cellor was speaking merely for the
constituted authorities Of the empire
who have so far conducted the war.
The people Of all the allied nations,
soldiers and civilians alike, answered
Prince Max with tremendous shout
Of Unconditional surrender"
Marshal Foch responded with one of
the most powerful attacks Of the al
lied armies, capturing the important
city Of Cambria, smashing a 20-mile-
wide breach through the Hlndenburg
line, and forcing back the German
armies all along the line|from Verdun
to the sea.
IA
Nearly all authorities agree that the
chancellor's proposal was inslncere
that the request for an armlstice was
made merely to give the military COM
mand a chance to reOrganize the shat
tered armies, and that Prince Max
knew the suggestion for a peace con-
ference, as he made it, would be re-
jected, giving him the opportunity to
say to the people of Germany: II have
offered to end the war on the enemy's
own terms and he refuses. The Ger.
man nation now must unltedly fight
on"
At first there was some disappOint
ment because President Wilson die
rot reject the German proposal swift
ly and bluntly, but a little considera
tlon has convinced almost everyone
that ne evaded trap and by his di
rect questions put the German dip
lOmats in position Of the utmost diff
Guilty. At the same time he left tn,
door open for ultimate negotiations
utter Germany has accepted his L
points and given full guarantees. A
Tor the armistice, he did not agree I,
that even were the German armies (,
lie withdrawn from all occupied terri
tories, recognizing the fact that tn
declaring Of an armistice is up t
the military commanders. The presi
dents note was fully approved, prob
Dbly in advance, by the allied govern
ments, and was given the highes
praise by the press in England an
France as well as America.
Ia
Any agreed cessation of fighting a
this time, short OF the abject surrer
der of the central powers, would bit
terly disappoint the soldiers Of tn
allied armies and the people who ar
PACKING tneIh up hOch . ioiSSS nav
the Germans on the run, and II the
are permitted to follow up the Hun
on their retreat to the Mouse they vii
destroy a large part Of their effective
ness and capture probably half Of thei
material. On the other hand an armis
tice would permit the Huns to retir
within their borders with their armie
intact and prepared to maneuver effeC
lively behind their shortened and pow
erfuIly fortified lines. Animated b,
q spirit, not of vindictiyeness. but o
retributive Justice. the men Of the al