Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1918-11-07
TextOf PresidentW Wilson's Reply

of German interests in the United
States:
Department of State, Oct %, 1918.
Sir: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your note Of the END,
transmitting communication under
date of the 26th, from the German Gov
eminent, and TO advise you that the
President has instructed me to reply
thereto as follows:
Having received the solemn and ex-
pliclt assurance of the German Govern
ment that it unreservedly accepts the
terms of peace laid down in his ad-
dress to the Congress Of the United
States on the Sth Of January, 1918,
and the principles of settlement enun-
ciated in his subsequent addresses,
particularly the address Of the 21th
Of September and that it desires to
discuss the details of their application,
and that this wish and purpose EN-
anated not from those who have hith-
ertO dictated German policy and con
Quoted the present war ON Germany's
behalf, but from Ministers who speak
for the majority of the Reichstag and
for an overwhelming majority of the
German people, and having received
also the explicit promise of the pres
ent German Government that the hui
name rules OF civilized warfare will
be observed both on land and sea by
hn
dent of the United States feels that
he can not decline to take up with the
Governments with which the Govern.
ment of the United States Is asso-
ciated the question of an armistice.
HE deems it his duty to say again,
however, that the only armistice he
would feel justified in submitting for
consideration would be one which
should leave the United States and
the powers associated with her in a
position to enforce any arrangements
that may be entered into, and to make
a renewal of hostilities on the part of
Germany impossible
THE President, therefore, has trans
mitted his correspondence with the
present German authorities to the
Governments with which the Govern
ment of the United States is associat-
ed as belligerent, with the Sugges-
ton that, If these Governments are
disposed TO effect peace upon the terms
and principles indicated, theas'a.lit IL,
advisers ana me military INVESTS OF
the United States shall be asked TO
submit to the Governments associated
ala1h
of such an armiStice as Will fully pro
tect the interests of the peoples in
volved and insure to the associated
Governments the unrestricted power to
safeguard and enforce the details of
the peace to which the German Gov
eminent has agreed, provided they
deem such an armistice possible from
a military point of view. Should such
terms of armistice be suggested, their
acceptance by Germany will afford the
best concrete evidence Of, her UNI
equivOcal acceptance of the terms and
principles of peace from which the
whole action proceeds.
"The President would deem himself
lacking in candor did he not point out
in the frankest possible terms the rea-
son why extraordinary safeguards
must be demanded Significant and
important as the constitutional
changes seem to be which are spoken
of by the German Foreign Secretary
in his note of the Goth Of October, it
does not appear that the principle of
Government, responsible to the Ger
ran people, has yet been fully worked
out, or that any guarantees either ex-
list or are in contemplation that the
alterations of principle and Of prac-
tice now partially agreed upon will
be permanent.
: Moreover, ii does not appear that
the heart of the present difficulty has
been reached. 1t may be that future
wars have been brought under the
control of the German people, but the
present war has not been and it is
with the present war that we are
dealing.
1T is evident that the German peo-
pie have not means of commanding
the acquiescence of the military au-
thorities of the empire in the popular
will: that the power of the King of
Prussia to control the policy of the
empire is unimpaired; that the de-
termining initiative still remains with
those who have hitherto been the
masters of Germany.
Feeling that the whole peace of the
world depends now on plain speaking
and straightforward action, the PreSi-
dent deems it his duty to say, with
out any attempt to soften what may
seem harsh words, thai the nations of
the world do not and can not trust
the word of those who have hitherto
been the masters of German policy,
and to point out once more that i'll
concluding peace and attempting to
undo the infinite injuries and injus-
tices of this war the Government of
the United States can not deal with
any but veritable representatives of
the German people who have been
assured of a genuine constitutional
standing as the real rulers of Ger
many.
IF it must deal with the military
masters and the monarchical auto
Gratis of Germany now, or if it is likely
to have to deal with them later in re-
gard to the international obligations
of the German Empire, IT must de,
mand, not peace negotiations, but sur
render Nothing can be gained by
leaving this essential thing unsaid.
Accept, Sir. the renewed assur-
ances of my high consideration.
ROBERT LANSING.
"Alr. Frederik Oederlin, Charge DAT
flares of Switzerland ad interim, in
charge OF German interests in the
United States"