The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-10-22
Is Left-Handed Acceptance of
Wilson'S Peace Conditions
WANT FURTHER PARLEYS
Reply Does Not Indicate Any Redue-
ton of Arbitrary Power in Ger
man Imperial Government.

est HOle IS not SdtlsldCtOIy W tHc
American government and will re-
suit in no immediate move by the
President toward the restoration OF
peace.
1t is regarded as being nothing
more than ''left-handed, even
awkward acceptance OF the latest
conditions precedent to peace and an
armistice, laid down by President Will
son in his note of Oct. IA, and to that
extent it is looked upon merely as be-
ing. one more step toward ultimate
peace; but II can be asserted very
positively that the communication
from Berlin is not regarded as proof
that there has yet been any destruc
tion or reduction to virtual impotence
of every arbitrary power in the Ger
man government that can separately
secretly, or of its own single choice
disturb the peace of the world.
The president as spokesman for
this country and our allies, is stand
ing for the absolute surrender of the
enemy, and it was asserted in res
ponsible high quarter tonight that il
was not the purpose of the president
to make any peace with an armed
Germany.
The German note seeks to make it
appear that steps toward constitu-
tional and governmental reform in
Germany will be taken to free the
German government from arbitrary
and irresponsible influences, but of
fers no real proof that there has yet
been an actual destruction of the ar
bitrary powers lodged in the Kaiser
and the Imperial Government leaders,
and no evidence is afforded that the
Kaiser, Hindenburg, and Ludendorff
are not tonight az completely in con.
troll OF the German military machine
as thsgAwere prior fc -fhe lanneliing
of the German peace offensive.
The text Of the German note in re
ply to President Wilson, as received
by wireless, is as follows.
IN accepting the proposal for an
evacuation OF occupied territory the
German Government has started from
the assumption that the procedure OF
this evacuation and of the conditions
of an armistice should be left to the
judgment Of the military advisers and
that the actual standard of power on
both sides in the field has to form the
basis for arrangements safeguarding
and guaranteeing this standard.
The German Government suggests
to the President that an opportunity
should be brought about for fixing
the details. 1t trusts that the Presi
dent of the United States will approve
OF no demand which would be irreeon-
cilable with the honor of the German
people and with opening way to a
peace of justice.
The German Government protests
against the reproach of illegal and in
humane actions made against the Ger.
man land and sea forces and thereby
against the German people. For the
covering OF o retreat. distinctions
will always be necessary, and they
are carried out in so far as is permit.
ted by international law The German
troops are under the most strict in.
struction to spare private property
and to exercise care for the popula
tion to the best OF their ability
Where transgressions occur in spite
OF these instructions the guilty are be.
ing punished
The German Government further
denies that the German Navy in sink
ing ships has ever ,pupposely des-
troyed lifeboats with their passengers
The German Government proposes
with regard to all those charges that
the facts be cleared up by neutral
commissions
In order to avoid anything that
might hamper the work of peace. the
German Government has caused or
ders to be dispatched to all subma.
rine commanders. precluding the tor
pedoing OF passenger ships. without
however, for technical reasons. being
able to guarantee that these orders
will reach every single submarine at
sea before It's return
AS fundamental condition for
peace the President prescribes the de
structioh OF every arbitrary power
that can separately, secretly. and oI
It's own single choice disturb the
peace of the world To this the Ger
man NONtTninenl replleS,
Hitherto the representation OF IN,
people In the German Empire has no
been endowed with an influence OF
the formation Of the Government.
The Constitution did not provide to
a concurrence of representation o
the people in decisions OF peace ant
war These conditions have Just nov
undergone fundamental change
new Government has been formed II
compete accordance with the wishe
(princlplag) OF the representation o
the people, based on equal, universal
secret direct franchise.
The leaders of the great parties o
the Reiohsiae are members OF TIT
Government In the future no Go,
ernment can take or continue in OF
fee without possessing the conhdenc
OF a majority Of the Reichstag.
The responsibility Of the Chancello
of the empire to the representation q