The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-08
BRITISH AWAIT
WILSON'S MOVE
IN NPEACEOFFER
Foreign Office Will Let
President Answer as
He Got Proposal.
NO ARMISTICE EXPECTED
Press Takes View That Ger
many Is Not Yet Ready
for Surrender.
NO ARMISTICE EXPECTED


Copyright, 1915: oil rights reserued.
LONDON, Oct. THE British For
eign Office, THE Sun correspondent is
informed, takes the position that as
the German peace proposals are ad-
dressed personally to the President
Of the United States the European al
lies will leave 1t to him to reply in
the way he sees fit But whatever
form his reply may take there is no
doubt as to the general agreement of
the Allies on the subject.
The Evening Eeics, usually well in
formed, says Premier Lloyd George.
Chancellor Bonar Law, Lord Robert
Cecil and Lord Miner are prepared
to deal promptly with the German
Offer IT has also been learned that
II the reply of the Allies does not
exactly demand unconditional sur
render as a preliminary to any peace
negotiation it will be Of such nature
that Germany will be unlikely to &C.
cept without further military effort.
It is believed that while the primary
purpose Of the bid for an arnistice is
to extricate the German armies from
their present peril few think she has
been brought to the point where she
would accept unconditional surrender
As regards the German colonies, while
the programme announced by the ma
jority parties IN the Reichstas in
cludes demand for their restoration
they were not mentioned in the new
Chancellor's speech. Their future, as
Lloyd George has repeatedly an
nounced. will be dealt with at the
peace conference.
No Power over HindenburR.
II is noteworthy that the note from
Austria did not ask an armistice but
suggested that negotiations be opened
while hostilities continued, whereas the
German note asked an immediate ces-
sation of hostilities. The discrepancy
is in itself suspicious, inasmuch as
Prince Maximilian, the new German
Chancellor, while considered as not be
ing in sympathy with the military
party, has no power over HindenburG
or Ludendorr and Is under the
kaiser's dictation. The new Govern
ment OF Germany cannot be seriously
considered as representative of the
people, who are likely to defy the mill
tary party.
II Is manifestly impossible for the
Allies to grant an armistice while the
Germans occupy French or Belgian terri
tory or delude themselves into thinking
a league of nations is possible while
Germany is stlll controlled by the Hin
denburgs and Ludendorfs. Nor Is Il
suggestive of any change OF heart in
Germany that while Prince Macmillan
Is pleading for peace French and Bel
gisn towns should be put to the torch.
The entire British press IL in accord
with THE SUNS editorial, which has been
widely printed In England, and which
declared that from the Huns the only
act which the Allies will trust is uncon-
di:ional surrender"
Germany Must show Good Faith.
There in not dissenting note In the
demand that Germany must furnish
guarantees of good faith before the Al
lies will be convinced OF her sincerity.
Prince Macmillan in addressing his note
to President Wilson evidently wishes to
prove to him and to the Allies that they
are not dealing with the old Government
which started the war. having In mind
undoubtedly Wilson's fifteenth point con-
/ tained in his speech of September 81
when lie said: I'VE are all agreed tha,
! there can Re no peace through any kind
! OF compromise or bargain with the Gov
ernment OF the Central Empires They
convinced us that they are without honor
! and that they do not intend justice. We
cannot come to terms with them"
Prince Maximilisn's effort 10 convince
President Wilson OF the sincerity OF tho
recent German democratic professions Is
considerably weakened by the sentiments
expressed In letter written by him last
December. when the German military
situation looked favorable. In which he
said: I'VE should take the enemy by the
throat, owing to his attitude on democ-
racy."
| Puts Trust In Wilson.
/ The ErehiRI STANDARD says the Ger.
/ mans must accept unconditional sur.
render before peace can be Restored, aud
/ that there can b. no negotiations with
/ the Germany which brought abou: the
war. THAT Germany must either change
itself completely or accept unconditional
/ surrender says the paper. "The Ger.
J