The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-26
President Wilson Closes Correspondence
With Germans By Direct
Demand.
Record of the German Government in This War Necessi.
tates Extraordinary Safeguards in Dealing With Them
in Respect to Peace Therefore Surrender, Not Neso
TONS Must Be Demanded.

nlea for an arnlistice and peace to the
allies. and at the same time has in
formed Berlin that there can be no
arnistice excep. upon terms thaE
would make it impossible for Ger
many to renew hcstllltics
While consenting to deal further
with the present authorities in Ger
many. the president has given them
this warning:
"If it (the United States) must deal
with the military masters and mon
archical autoccats of Germany now,
or if it is likely to have to deal with
them later in regard to the interna-
tional obligations of the German en-
pire, it must demand, not peace nego-
t;ations, but surrender. Nothing can
be gained by leaving this essential
thing unsaid."
The presidents reply to the Ger
man noe was handed to the charge
Of the Swiss legation tonight for
transmission to the German govern
ment
AS the note was dispatched, Sec
retary Tumulty at the White House
gave emphasis 10 the assurance given
by all members the government
that no interruption Of the military
program is contemplated by making
public correspondence between Sec
retary Baker and President Wilson
showing that more. than 1000, coo
American soldiers have embarked for
the war overseas.
The presidents note accedes to the
reauest that he take up, with the
allies the proposals of the new spokes-
men Of the: German people, but does
it with notice tAat virtusl surrender
of the Teutonic armies IN the fiele
will be the price demanded for Inter
ruption Of the heating now being adj
n1inistered.
In transmitting .,le matter to the
allies, the president says he has sug-
gested that if they are disposed to
effect peace on his terms and. princl-
pies now accepted by the present Ger
man authorities, the American and al
lied military advisors be asked It they
deem such an :arn1istice possible from
military point of view to submit
such terms as will fully protect the
interests Of the people involved and
! insure to the associated governments
the unrestricted power to enforcs
peace on the conditions accepted.
The president says he feels he can
not decline to take up the question
of an armistice. having received sol
enn and explicit assurances of the
German government that it accepts
terms of peace enunciated by him;
that the desire to discuss their ap-
plication comes from ministers speak
ing for an overwhelming majority OF
the German people, and that the Ger
man armed forces will observe the
! humane rules Of civilized warfare on
land and sea.
| The German protests and denials in
response to his statement that an
! armistice could not be considered
while the German army and navy
continued their atrocities are entirely
/ ignored in the presidents reply.
AS to the authority of the new
spokesmen of the German people, the
president speaks as the note SAYS,
without any attempt to soften wha:
| may seem rash words" and tells ths
MEN with whom he is dealing and
through them the German people
why such extraordinary safeguard.
must be demanded before hostilitics
can cease.
Significant and Important as the
proposed constitutional changes seem
to be, he declares, it does not appea'
that the people Of a government re-
sponsible to the German people has
yet been worked out. and it is evi-
dent that the people have means o.
commencing the acquiescence Of the
military authorities. He reminds ths
Germans that the power of the King
OF Prussia (the kaiser). to control the
policy of the empire is uninapaired anS
concludes with the warning that j
this power is to be dealt with the
United States end the allies can de
'nand nothing but surrender.
The statement follows:
1.-THE secretary Of state makes pub-
lie the following:
"Frem the secr. -ary to the charge
'daffaiEes ad interim in charge o.
German interests in the United
Department of sta state, October %
"sir:
''I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt ofNycur note of the 22nd
transmitting a aommunication under
date of the 2oth\ from the German
government and toadvise you tha
the president has asstructed rpe t.
reply thereto as follows&
Having received the sofeMp am
explicit assurance Of the GermansSSy-
ernment that it unreservedly acceoS
the terms Of peace laid down in hie
address to the congress Of the United
States on the Sth Of January. 1918
and the principles Of settlement enun
ciated in his subsequent addresses |
narticu:a-ly the address of the 9th