The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-15
President Wilson's Reply
To German Peace Proposal
The text of the Presidents answer follows

Inc text OF the PRESIDENTS answer follows:
"Sir:
I'm reply to the communication of the German government
dated the 18th instant which you handed today have the
honor to request you to transmit the following
The unqualified acceptance by the present German govern
men and by large majority of the rechsag of the terms
laid down by the President of the United States of America
his address the Congress of the United States the 9Th of
January 1918 and in his subsequent addresses use the
President in making frank and direct statement of his de-
on with regard to the communication of the German govern
ment of the 9Th and 18th of October 1918.
ut must be clearly understood that the process of evacuation
and the conditions of armsce matters which must be
left to the judgment and advice military advisers of the
government of the United States and the Allied governments
dhe President feels is his duty say that
men can be accepted by the of the United States
which does not provide absolutely satisfactory safeguards and
guarantees of the maintenance of the present military suprem
acy of the armies of the United States and the Allies in the field
HE feels confident that he safely that this will
also be the judgment and decision Of the Allied governments
The President feels that is also his duty add that neither
the government Of the United States nor he quite the
with which the government of the United States
associated begerent will consent to consider arms
ce long the armed forces Of Germany continue the illegal
and inhumane practices which they still persist in.
At the very time that the German approaches
the of the United States with proposals of peace
its submarines engaged sinking passenger ships at
and not the ships alone but the very boats in which their pas
enger and seek to make their way to safety and in
their enforced withdrawal from Flanders and France
the German armies pursuing of wanton destruc
on which has always been regarded direct violation of
the rules and practices of civilized warfare Cities and villages
not destroyed being stripped of all they contain not
only but often Of their very inhabitants The nations
ated against Germany cannot be expected agree
aon of while acts of nhumany spoation and desoa
ton being continued which they justly look upon with hor
ror ard with burning hearts.
It necessary ao in order that there may be posi-
by of misunderstanding that the President should very sol
emn call the attention of the of Germany to the
language and plain intent of Of the terms Of peace which
the German government has accepted It contained in
the address of the President delivered at Mount Vernon on
the fourth of July last 1t is follows
The destruction of every arbitrary power anywhere
that separately secretly and of its single choice dis
urb the peace of the world if it cannot be presently
destroyed at least its reduction to virtual impotency.
The power which has hitherto controlled the German nation
of the sort here described is within the choice of the
German nation to alter it. The Presidents words just quoted
naturally constitute condition precedent to peace peace
by the action of the German people themselves The
President feels bound say that the whole of peace
will in his Judgment depend upon the defntenes and the
satisfactory character of the guarantees which be given
this fundamental matter is indispensable that the govern
mens associated against Germany should know beyond per-
adventure with whom they are dealing
The President will make separate reply the royal and
imperial government of Ausra-H Hungary
Accept Sir the assurance my high consideraI
tion
Signed) ROBERT LANSING.
FREDERICK ODERLN Charge d'Affaires ad interim in
charge Of German interests in the United States"