Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-13
TWO

az an answer TO the German peace
note received here last Monday.
In this inquiry the President declared
he would not propose an armlS,ice
while troops OF The central powers re-
manned on invaded soil; he asked
whether Prince Macmillan accepted the
terms OF peace as laid down, or merely
wanted 10 discuss them las basis for
negotiations" and finally asked wheth-
CT the Chancellor merely represented
the militsrists who have been conduct
ing the war.
ment seems TO answer III "a manner
which at least has not closed the door
TO peace. The evacuation OF invaded
territory pending declaration OF an ar
terms OF peace arc accepted and makes
no further mention OF basis Tor ne
Was speaking for the German govern
ment ms recently reconstructed and the
German people as well.
The one point whiCh appears to loom
up as the text OF the unofficial copy Is
read is whether chancellor MaN'ml!itn
and Foreign Secretary Solf can in
as the reply declares they do Presi-
dent Wilson'S estimate. and the eat,-
mate of The statesmen OF the cobciliS-
crcE;s on The safety of dealings with
the heads OF the German government
have been repeated. They. have been
denounced rs unworthy OF trust, ana
Whether Pres !dent Wilson and the
teRte allies regard the government now
headed by MaNimiiinn and which has
Solf for lis Secretary OF state for For
ciSn Affairs one which can speak um-
der any circumstances FOR the German
people snd bind them 10 the peace
mains 10 be seen. There was NC Of
fetal expression on that point in Wash
absence. Probably no one in the United
States except him can give the answer
WHAT HAS HArpENED
TO MAKE REPLY POSSIBLE
Reading through the phrases OF the
unofficial text every one here imme
diately was struck with tho question
OF what must have happened i'll Ger
many recently TO make such AN answer
one of tho closing phrases which de
clares that the present German gov
crnment has been formed by confer
cnces in agreement with the great ma
jori.y Of the RctchstaE and that the
Chancellor speaks in the name of the
German government and OF the Ger
susceptible TO almost unlimited speCula-
ton. What has become of the kais~f'::''
was the question asked on every hand
az that phrase was read. The world
knows very little Of what has been
going on in Germany During the last
have been going from bad TO worse
1t was regarded IA not without the
realm Of ppSSssin,ili,'iss ihat ihS a srsa,
on the war has been taken from him.
Al first there Was some disposition Ia
regard the text of the note rs received
manner of it's publication. although an
official accident, was so Irregular that
many thought OF some sort of bit
Of German "iincssc" in diplomatic cir
cies. There has been AN opinion in
some quarters that the German peace
offer at this time had for one Of it's
objects the diScouraSemcnt of Ameri-
cans in the fourth Liberty loan. Mill
tary men have expressed the view that
il was framed for It's possible effect on
the morale of the Americ aud entente
troops in the field and the workers at
home being pressed to do their utmost
for the prosecutions of the war. The
first thought tonight was that the dis
patch received here WAS something OF
Il move OF that sort.
But when il was established beyond
doubt that il had been picked up from
tho great German wireless station at
Naucn, and has been made public, even
though by accident. by the important
diplomatic mission which is we'll known
ms having access at all times Ia all the
importart foreign Developments. AZ,
these doubts disappeared. and It's
genuincness was readily accepted.
PRESIDENT DECLINES
To COMMENT ON itErhE
As President Wilson was in New York
tonight and reserved comment OH the
note, his views cannot bc stated now,
and none Of his official family here III
Washington cared to speak for linn.
Without amy ATTEMPT to discount
what appeared to he. AT casual read
ing. an acceptance OF tho terms III"
President has laid down. officials herc
were very positive as not accepting
the German note as i document which
means tho end OF the war. II needs to
he examined aud fuzzy s"nsldercd be
fore tho views of the American gov
crnmcnt can lie stated.
Should President Wilson finally de-
eide that there is enough sincerity
in C;ermany'S proposition 10 transmit
il to tho allies, rs the German Chan
cclior requested, il should be borne IN
mind tina, Great Britain, France and
The other entente nations must DC
taken into consideration Tor decision
then as 10 whether AL aTmiStic" should
he granted or whether discussion should
I've undertaken to carry out me det"iis
of the application OF president NliS"h :
peace terms.
The greatest danger facing the PEG,
PIE of the United states oniclaiS sara
here to-niehhi was iithat they might
hastily considcT Gcrmany's pror"si-
ton as the unconventional Surrender
which tho CO. bclligerentS demand ANA
tories a, arms and carry over. the
fourth Liberty loan. ON every SIDE ~
official quarters il was stated that }his
view OF the aituation could not pc
plaCnd before III" public too strongly.
ConcedinS that possibly the proposal
Cor an arinisticc might he accepted:
and that the German acceptance OF
President Wilson's peace terms might
hc satisfaci DRY, the question, IN the
opinion Of officials and diplomats here.
would center ia who IL tho present
German governments. If the prcscu,
German government is the government
OF the liohcuZoilcrnS there seems no
doubt here thai tho German reply Will
he unacceptable
The Official text OF the German note
Ead not been received here at Il late
hour tonight. I, WAS announced there
would be no official comment until 1t
arrived
PRESIDENT RECEIVES NOTE
SiSIriNt. IN NEW YORK
lRy Associated rrcss.I