The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-21
GERMAN ANSWER
TO WILSON NOTE
IS PUBLIC TODAY
No Definite Acceptance Made of
Wilson's Terms.
Washington Sees Merely Decla-
ration of Intentions.
FORBIDS NEGOTIATIONS NOW
Senator POindexter Introduces
Measure in Senate.
Wilson May Not Even Reply to
the Hun Note.
FORBIDS NEGOTIATIONS NOW
Senator POindexter Introduces
Measure in Senate.

London, Oct. 21.-Germany today
definitely announced that the kaiser
has been shorn of his power to declare
war and declared that German subma-
rine commanders had been ordered to
stop torpedoing passenger ships, in her
reply to President Wilson's note. In
agreeing that the terms of an armis-
tice should be fixed by the military
advisers, the German note stated that
the present standard of power "of
both Sides should be safeguarded.
No Acceptance.
There was no definite acceptance of
Wilson's statement that the terms
should be fixed by the military advis-
ers of the United States and the allies.
sibility of Germany claiming that the
military advisers of Germany as well
as the allies should participate in fix
ing the terms of an armistice.
Merely Declaration.
Washington. Oct. 21-Germany'
reply to President Wilson's decision"
on basis for peace negotiation ap-
peared to officials today to be merely
a declaration of intentions" the good
faith of which can only be ascertained
by waiting.
Hence it is indicated that President
Wilson, if he replies at all to the Ger
man note. can scarcely go farther
than state he must wait to see what
the future brings. before additional
moves can be made.
Against Negotiations.
Washington. Oct. 21. - Senator
Poindexter of Washington, Republi-
can, introduced a joint resolution to-
day proposing that congress forbid
further negotiations by the United
States with Germany looking to the
granting of an armistice or peace un-
til the German military forces have
surrendered unconditionally. 1.
1t was referred to the foreign rela-
tionS committee.
Berlin. Oct. 81 Cvia wireless Lon
don) Germany, replying to President
Wilson, announced that orders had
been issued to all submarine COM
manders to stop the torpedoing of pas
SenSer ships.
The text of the note, covering this
point, follows:
In order to avoid anything that
might hamper the work of peace, the
government has caused orders to be
dispatched to all submarine command
ers precluding the torpeding of pas
senger ships without, however, for
technical reasons, being able to guar
antee that these orders will reach ev-
cry single submarine at sea before its
return"
The German reply was handed by
the German government Sunday night
to the Swiss legation in Berlin for
transmission to the United States. The
note begins with the following:
I'm accepting the proposal for the
evacuation of occupied territories, the
German government started from the
assumption that the procedure for this
evacuation and the conditions of the
armiStice should be left to the iudg-
ment of the military advisers and that
the actual standard of power which
both sides in the field have should
form the basis of arrangements safe
guarding and guaranteeing this stand
ard"
Leaders Are Members.
With reference to the responsibility