The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-12

Procedure-Talk OF Armistice Out
of Question-Way Left Open to
Peace if Germany Really Desires IT
on Terms of Allies and at Same
Time Militarists are Placed in True
Light.
Washington. Oct. S.-President VIII
son has met Germanys peace note
with a move which will, at one stroke,
develop whether her proposal is SIN
cere or merely pretension, and II
pretension it be, fully justify for all
time before the world the prolonSlng
of the war with force to the utmost,
force without stint or limit. At the
sam. time the president has left wide
open the door to peace.
Declining to propose an arnlstlce
while the armies of the central pow
ers remain on invaded soil, the pres
ident today called on the German
chancellor to state, as an absolutely
necessary preliminary to- reply from
the entente allies and the United
States, whether Germany accepts the
principles of peace as repeatedly laid
down, or merely proposes to accept
them .as the basis of negotiation
and whether the chancellor merely
speaks for the German military mas
ters conducting the war or the whole
German people.
AS the full significance of the
presidents diplomacy is disclosed Ii
becames evident that he has left open
the way to peace and at the same
time left the military leaders of the
central powers with question they
must necessarily answer in way that
! will lead to peace or confront the2;
with an embarrassing situation IN
their own country.
Among diplomats here the presi-
dents communication is regarded as
| one of his master strokes. 1t IS
pointed out that upon cursory exami-
nation it may not show such strong
terms as some may have desired. Az
| the presidents advisers, however, are
confident that as close considera-
ton reveals its full import, it will be
apparent that it is a long step for
ward if Germany really means peace.
and that if she does not it will strip
bare another hypocrisy of German
diplomacy so completely that the re-
sponsibility for pro}onging the wal
never can be charged to the allies
even by the German people them
selves.
The text of the presidents COM
munication was made public today BY
Secretary Lansing, together with the
official text of Prince Maximilian's s
note now published in America for
the first time. At the same time Off
cials let it be known that there woul6
he no reply at present to the Aus
trian note, similar to that Of the Ger
man chancellor. It is not considered
necessary to deal with Austria until
the time comes for reply to hel
dominating ally.
given out at the State department.:
Department of State, Oct. s, 1918
1.-The secretary of State makes pub
lie the following communications;
From the charge d'affaires ad interim
Of Switzerland in charge of German
interests in the United States:
Legation Of Switzerland, Washing
ton, D. c., October 6, 1918.
Department of German interests
"Mr. President:
81 have the honor to transmit here
with, upon instructions from my gov
ernment the original text Of com
| munication from the German govern
| ment received by this legation late
| this afternoon from the Swiss foreign
office.
IAN English translation OF this
communication is also Enclosed. Tho
German original text, however, is
alone to be considered as authorita-
tive. Please accept, Mr.. President
the assurances of my highest consid.
Grafton.
,signed) "F. Olderlin.
Charge d'affaires A. I. of Switzer.
land.
I'm charge of German interests ir
the United States.
''Mr- Woodrow Wilson,
! President Of the United States.
washington.
Qnclose).
translation of communication from
German government to the presiden:
Of the United States as transmitted
by the charge d'affaires A. I. Of
Switzerland on October 6, 1918:
''The German government requests
the president of the United States OF
America to take steps for the restora-
tion of peace, to notify all belliger-
ents OF this request and to invite them
to delegate plenipotentiaries for the
purpose Of taking up negotiations
The German government accepts, as
a basis for the peace negotiations
the program laid down by the presl-
dent of the United States in message
| to congress of January s, 1918, and
IN his subsequent pronouncements
particularly in his address of Septem-
ber 27, 1918. In order to avoid fur
ther bloodshed the German govern
ment requests to bring about the i'm
l a6 of