The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-17
ALL TERMS MET
BY BEATEN FOE,
CAPITAL HEARS
Safeguarding of German
People Said to Be Single
Request Made.
CLING TO PEACE TALK
Officials Fear That Berlin
Seeks to Gain Advantage
by Long Discussion.
CLING TO PEACE TALK

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16. - Reports
reaching here tonight from fairly
good sources that Germany in an
answer said to be already on Its way
here has accepted President Wilson's
reply MS basis for negotiations has
given another astonishing turn to the
peace situation. In accepting the
Presidents note to all intents and
purposes rs an ultimatum Germany
Is reported to have made the single
provision that the interests of the
German people he safeguarded.
Again, rs in the case of the Ger
man answer of last Saturday. which
threw official Washington into fer
ment. this looks OH its face. IL the
reports regarding 1t are true, to be
unconditional surrender. even TO the
point Of bowling to the will Of the
President regarding the deposition of
the Kaiser and the characterization
Of their Government. But officials
are inclined TO be more wary than
ever. and there is counsel from the
very highest sources tonight to look
out for a German plot Of some kind.
Means Unconditional Surrender.
The German reply is even now said
to be on its way to Washington, which
would mean. II true. that Germanys
latest move had been made in record
breaking time. Offlcial confirmation
Of this Is lacking as yet. the State
Department being without advices.
But reliable reports from various
sources abroad seem to give color TO
the belief that the Germans are about
TO make a move In reply 20 the Presi-
dent which on its face appears TO be
an acceptance Of what they themselves
describe as the Presidents latest
terms
The Presidents terms, according to
their correct Interpretation as supplied
il. authoritative quarters here, meant
nothing less than the cessation at once
of submarine warfare, the abandon
nient Immediately by the Germans Of
their inhuman methods of warfare, the
giving Of any guarantees that the
allied military commanders might de-
eide upon to insure allied military
supremacy in addition to the mere
evacuation OF invaded territory. and
lastly and most important OF all the
removal Of their autocrats or their
reduction to impotency.
All this would be in addition to the
acceptance of the Presidents fourteen
terms as a basis of agreement which
Germany already has signified. II taken
in their proper meaning the acceptance
OF these conditions by Germany would
and could mean nothing less than un-
conditional surrender, as reasoned out
here.
No Faith in Wilhelmstrasse.
But, and this Is where the Wilhelm
strasse diplomats may be seeking merely
another opening for continuing the peace
discussion. there Is nothing to prevent
Germany. with the Presidents answer
before II, placing Its own Interpretation
on these terms and using this as the
basis OF another note. An acceptance"
OF the Presidents note based on it's own
Interpretation therefore would mean
little or nothing in Itself. at least for
the present, except that It would serve
to keep the idea OF peace still going.
Reports OF all kinds were in circula-
tion here tonight and were causing
great excitement The earliest OF these
had Germany capitulating and the
kaiser's abdicatlon already announced.
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