The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-09
President, Discussing Proposal,
Says Enemy Must First Evac-
uate Certain Countries.
BACK GERMANY, ,ISDEMAND
Home-Puts Good Faith of Berlin
Peace Plea to Test of Deeds
Must Abide by Terms
Laid Down by U. S.
Government.

Washington, Oct 9.-President Will
son Informed the German government
that before the United States can dis
cuss an armistice German troops must
withdraw from all invaded territory.
The presidents message was not q
reply, but in the form of an inquiry.
The imperial German government is
laid down by the president in his ad
dress to congress January s, and III
subsequent addresses.
No answer to the Austrian peace
proposal is contemplated for the pres
ent, it was made known officially.
Americas reply to Germany's lat
est peace proposals was formulated
by President Wilson in accordance
with views expressed by the premiers
of all the allied nations.
The president, it was understood,
has preceded actual sending of the re-
ply by asking that Premiers Lloyd
George, Clemenceau and Orlando adj
wise him of their answers or by sub
mitting to the premiers a draft of his
reply for approval
Obviously the American government
would not attempt to speak for the
other allies without consulting them.
Again, a curt and peremptory rejection
could be used by the central powers,
before their own people, to bolster up
the falsehood that they are waglng
defensive" war and that the object
of fhr oil &c, aI
Unconditional Surrender"
The temper of debate in the senate
and the general tone Of public opinion
in the senate was that the offer should
be rejected; the practically unanimous
public opinion as reflected in newspa-
pers all over the country was that NJ
peace terms short of unconditional
surrender could be discussed.
The reply is not only an answer to
Germany and her allies, but a state
ment for the historical record of the
world. 1t is realized that the rejec-
ton must be such that the people Of
Great Britain, France, Italy and the
United States may be warned against
the danger of throwing away the hard
won victory so near their grasp, and at
the same time leave no opportunity for
Hun leaders to lure their people on to
more bloodshed and sacrifice.
The peace which America and all
the allies ere determined to have is
one that shall rid the world of Hun
domination and insure it against an
other and even more savage war as
soon as the Hun war lords can repair
their shattered armies.
Text of the Presidents Message.
The text Of the communication
handed to the charge of Switzerland
here follows:
"Sir: l have the honor to acknowl-
edge, on behalf of the president, your
note of October 6, inclOsing the COM
municatiOn from the German govern
ment to the president, and I am in
structed by the president to request
you to make the following communica-
ton to the imperial German chan
cellor:
before making reply to the request
of the imperial German government
and In order that tnat reply shall be
as candid and straightforward as the
momentous interests involved require,
the president Of the United States
deems 1t necessary to assure himself
of the exact meaning of the note Of
the imperial chancellor.
German ChanceIors' Meaning Asked.
"DOes the imperial chancellor mean
that the imperial German government
accepts the terms laid down by the
president in his address to the COLI
gress of the United States on the 9Th
of January last and In subsequent ad-
dresses, and that its object In enter
ing into discussions would be only
to agree upon the practical details of
their application
Armies Must Quit Invaded Countries.
1.-The president feels bound to say
with regard to the suggestion of an
armistice that he would not feel at Hb-
erty to propose a cessation of arms
to the governments with which the
government of the United States is as
sociated against the central powers.
so long as the armies of those powers
are upon their soil. The good faith Of
any discussion would manifestly de-
pend upon the consent of the central
powers Immediately to withdraw their
forces everywhere from invaded terri
tory.
Does He Speak Merely for Autocracy7
"The president also feels that he Is