The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-24

the German Government and prom
lises of reform, the President does
mot regard It as representative Of the
German people nor does he regard
the power Of the Kaiser curtailed.
= The President mentions specifically
the King OF Prussia or Kaiser for the
first time in any diplomatic note.
So long as the Kaiser retains any
semblance OF control, present or fu.
/, ture, absolute surrender only will be
considered.
The Presidents reply was not given
out until 0 o'clock tonight following
a day Of conferences. Decision TO
send the note to Germany was in fact
not reached at the White House until
after o'clock in the afternoon. when
the President after having read It to
lis war council made up his mind, late
as 1t was, to deliver 1t to the Swiss
Charge.
- Consplting with Premiers.
The President spent the morning
with his advisers and the cables to
London and Paris were kept busy. In
fact It was learned authoritativeiy that
tjthe President had been consulting
with the allied Premiers before draw
,fng up his answer. The Presidents
answer. however. was completely
even delivered to him.
=. Before actually completing his reply
the President sent for both Gen. March
and Secretary Daniels and remained In
conference with them more than an
hour. The meeting of the War Council
was held ut $3.50.
p Soon after 8 o'clock the President
called Secretary Tumulty, delivered to
him the note and asked that he get
IN touch with Secretary Lansing and
see that It was delivered to the Swiss
Legation tonight. The note was
, actually delivered by the private sec
rotary Of Frank L. Polk, Counsellor Of
the State Department. who forwarded
sthe Presidents last decisive note to
the Swedish Legation for Transmission
to Austria Hungary.
s'v where Emphasis IL Laid.
a. Despite some of the adverse COM
-ment tonight close friends of the
president believe that the Presidents
sncte when weighed will command the
approval of the country. Particular
emphasis is laid by those who take
! this view on the last part of the note
which has to do with the question Of
peace itself.
a This Government, It Ia made plain,
has not been deceived by the camou-
Jagged reform of the German Govern
-ment SO glibly described In the last
note Of DIR. Solf. It cannot and will
mot deal, says the President, with any
: but veritable representatives of the
German people who have been assured
OF q genuine constitutional standing as
the real rulers OF Germany.
The meaning here 10 plain. namely,
that the changes made and promised
<do not yet assure real responsible gov
eminent for Germany nor are those
:, with whom the President has been in
correspondence real representatives of
the German people. With Prince Max,
DR.. Solf or any Of these representa-
t.ves there can be no peace negotia-
otions.
\ The statement In the last German
note that the German Government is
+tnow free from any arbitrary and ir-
9xesponsible influence" Is not accepted
) by the President, who in his previous
note had laid down this condition as
san absolute prerequisite of peace. The
President Is regarded as going to the
heart Of the present situation in Ger
many when he expressly states that
, the war which Germany is still waging
Is not conducted by the German people
themselves; in other words, that the
above and beyond the people.
- Attitude of the Allies.
Speculation excited by the note to-
night in official circles naturally CEN
tres first on the attitude which the
allied Governments will now assume
officially toward the German propos AIS
and second, on the reception the Presi-
dents latest dictum regarding the
terms of an armistice and the condi-
lions precedent to peace will meet with
In Germany.
The effect OF the Presidents action
in transmitting the correspondence to
the Allies Is to place officially before
them the first peace proposal they have
had from the German Government
since the Kaiser's peace offer of 1916
1T will now be for the Governments OF
Great Britain. France and Italy. II Ia
pointed out, to take official notice OF
the efforts Germany Is making for an
arnistice and record their own views
on the subject.
It Is the belief OF many that the
allied Governments have been prepared
for this step and that their answers
will show Germany that nothing but q
surrender OF her armies will be con-
sidered All allied comment has been
In this direction.
The German military masters may
try to use the Presidents answer with
Its intimation OF the terms of the
armistice to stiffen the resistance OF
the German people, hoping thereby &c
bring better terms from the Allies
But that the people OF Germany car
no longer be used in this manner 4.
the conviction in Washington and /,
would cause no surprise to officials
5 here TO see the German peace negotia-
tons react in such a way as to bring
about a revolution in tho immediate
future.