The sun., 1918-10-13

countless crimes of the most atrocious
character ON land and on sea have been
perpetrated against mankind and civil
ization by the German hordes acting
under imperial orders The war lorde
have reached the end of their rope and
They cannot etave Off Just retribution
on the battlefelds at the hands OF the
Allies and the United States.
The sacrifice Of hundreds of thousands
Of gallant lives has now made this i'm
possible. The only chance to escape is
by diplomacy. Therefore the Germa ms
are perhaps seizing this chance. while
their baked but unbeaten war machine
Is still formidable and able to enforce flu
ture trickery of the diplomats by the re-
freshed and concentrated power II the
war lords decide to cast this final prom
Use overheard Germany began the war
with a broken solemn pledge and there
Is TO reason why she should not attempt
to end thus
But the fact remains that the Ger
mans may really now want to escape
punishment by peace, and the question
Is: What will the United States and the
Allies dor
Some officlals here believe that the
President may at once begin negotiations
with the German Government on the
basis of the German reply, but that he
may insist upon guarantees and lay down
other stipulations which will completely
break the back OF German militarism.
There Is a very natural fear here that
all manner Of complications will be
threatened for the moment in Entente
countries by the German reply. In
Great Britain and France the people
who have heroically fought and bled for
four years will fear that their greatest
dread, "inconciusive' victory. IL on the
road to realization. Pacif1sts in all
| countries and throughout the United
States may be expected to reach out for
| this shadow of peace and clamor for
negotiations. '..
Uncertainty About the Terms.
The Imperial German Goverpment
must know that it's acceptance OF Pres
ident Wilson's fourteen terms at this
time. when victory for the Entente on
the battlefields Is just beginning to
dawn. may tend to create general dis
cussion among those who believe peace
should or should not be concluded on
those terms alone. These terms have
not yet been interpreted authoritatively.
IL is pointed out, and II Ia difficult to
know Just what they mean In number
| of vitality important respects. The Pres
ident may be expected to take care OF
| this should occasion require, but in the
meantime there is bound to be deep con.
! Germ and uncertainty.
The German reply cleverly exploits
| this idea when It says 'the German
Government believes that the Govern.
ments OF the Powers associated with
! the Government Of the United States
also take the position taken by President
Wilson In his address,
| One suggestion here is that the Presi
dent win realize that nothing would tend
more to establish the Hohenzollerns a.
idols Of the German people for ages u
come than any sort Of peace leaving
them still under the halo Of military
triumphs. German history would RECORD
that the Imperial German Emperor aftel
four years OF unparalleled military sue
cess against world In arms brough
the struggle to an end before his military
power had had a chance to wane.
The conviction is general here tha
the Imperial German masters are no
going to be so referred to in future page
OF history II President Wilson car
help 1t.