The Colorado statesman., 1918-10-26
.U.S.REPLY TO GERMANY
PRESIDENTS NOTE VIRTUAL DE.
MANp FOR SURRENDER.
Huns Must Place Armies at Mercy Of
Allies to Obtain Armistice. viii
son Tells Berlin.
Western Newspaper Union News Service,

Department of State, Oct. %. 1913.
Sir--I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your note OF the 22d,
transmitting a communication under
date OF the 20th from the German gov
ernment, and to advise you that the
President has instructed me to reply
thereto as follows:
Having received the solemn and ex-
plicit assurance of the German govern
ment that IL 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 enunci-
ated in his subsequent addresses. par
ticularly the address of the 27th of
September, and that It desires to dis
cuss the details of their application,
and that this wish and purpose eman-
ated, not from those who have hither-
to 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 hu-
name rules of civilized warfare Will
be observed both on land and sea by
the German armed forces, the Presi-
| dent of the United States feels that
| he cannot decline to take up with the
governments with which the govern
ment OF the United States is associ
ated 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
position to enforce any arrangements
that may be entered into and to make
renewal of hostilities on the part of
Germany impossible.
The President has, therefore, trans
mitted his correspondence with the
present German authorities to the gov
ernments with which the government
| of the United States is associated as
belligerent, with the suggestion that,
If those governments are disposed to
effect peace upon the terms and prin-
ciples Indicated, their military advis-
ers and the military advisers of the
| United States be asked to transmit to
| the governments associated against
| Germany the necessary terms of such
an armistice as will fully protect the
| interests of the peoples involved, and
| ensure to the associated governments
the unrestricted power to safeguard
| and enforce the details of the peace
| to which the German government has
agreed, provided they deem such an
armistice possible from the military
| point of view.
Should such terms of armistice be
suggested their acceptance by Ger
many will afford the best concrete evil
| nf q M q
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, 1t
does not appear that the principle of
a government responsible to the Ger
man people has yet been fully worked
out, or that any guarantees either ex-
list OF are in contemplation that the
alterations of principle and of prac-
tice now partially agreed upon VIII be
| permanent.
Moreover, it does not appear that
|
been reached. 1t may be that future
wars have been brought under the con-
troll of the German people, but the
present war has not been; and it is
with the present war that we are deal
ing.
1t is evident that the German people
have no means of commanding the ac-
| quiescence of the military authorities
of the empire in the popular will that
| the power of the king of Prussia to
control the policy of the empire is un-
impaired; that the determining initia-
tive 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, without
any attempt to soften what may seem
harsh words. that the nations of the
| world do not and cannot trust the
| word of those who have hitherto been
the masters of German policy, and to
| point out once more that in concluding
peace and attempting to undo the in
| finite injuries and injustices of this
| war the government of the United
| States cannot deal with any but YER
| table representatives of the German
| people who have been assured of a
| genuine constitutional standing as the
real rulers of Germany.
If it must deal with the military
masters and the monarchial autocrats
of Germany now, or if it is likely to
| have to deal with them later in regard
| to the international obligations of the
| German empire, it must demand, not
peace negotiations, but surrender.
Nothing can be gained by leaving this
essential thing unsaid
| Accept, sir, the renewed assurances
| Of my high consideration.
(Signed) ROBERT LANSING.
Mr.. Frederick Oederlin, Charge
| d'Affaires of Switzerland, ad In