The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-18

was rendered impotent, and that this
would have deprived the Republicans of
much of their ammunition In the con-
gressional campaign.
Answer Raps.
The answer to this, given by those
who agree absolutely with the position
adopted by the president and the secre-
tary of state. is that the determination
of the United States was sufficiently
explained in the note to Germany of
oct, IA, and that any effort made to
create an opposite impression was sim
ply a systematic campaign to prove
that Mr.. Wilson was untrue to his
word. The fact that the president in
sisted in his first note to Germany
that all invaded territory must be
evacuated before there could be a peace
conference, and the fact that Mr.. Will
son insisted in his second communiCa-
ton on terms amounting to surrender,
is pointed to as adequate explanation
at the time to all who were disposed
to follow the president in foreign pol
icy, regardless of Internal politics. In
this connection there will some day be
published the communications OF an in
formal character, passing from this
government to its allies, explaining in
detail to them the principle involved In
this paragraph OF Americas note to
Germany Of Oct. IA.
ut must be clearly understood that
the process Of evacuation as the condi-
tons of an armistice are matters which
must be left to the judgment and ad-
vice of the military advisers of the
government Of the United States and
the allied governments, and the presi-
dent feels 1t his duty to say that no
arrangement can be accepted by me
government Of the United States which
does not provide absolutely satisfactory
safeguards and guarantees Of the
maintenance OF h present military
supremacy of the armies Of the United
States and Of the allies in the field. He
feels confident that he can safely as
sumo that this will also be the judg-
ment and decision of the allied gov
ernments.'
Furthermore, in. the second note Of
Oct, 20, the United States said:
"The president deems it his duty to
say again, however, that the only armi.
stice he would feel justified In submit /
ting for consideration Ito the aIlies)
would he one which should leave tire
United States and the powers associat-
ed with her In a position to enforce any
arrangements that may be entered into
and to make a reign of hostilities on
the part of Germany impossible"
Mr.. Wilson wasn't proposing an armi- |
stice, but absolute capitulation, and
much Of the publication of the exact
terms Of the armistiee; officials feel
Ia NlCGp vi lttp oVtilNSllN SS1B
that compelled the downfall Of the
Democrats, history will prove that
President Wilson vas unjustly accused
by his critics Of being willing to let
German autocracy escape and the Ger
man military power remain unbroken.
Resentment Ia more frequently ex-
pressed by administration officials
against Messrs. Taft, Lodge and Roose-
Welt, who are held to have alarmed the
country needlessly concerning the true
purpose Of our government. The forma
ton of unconditional surrender" clubs
at a time when the government was
insisting on an armistice that has since
been proclaimed as more humlliatinR
to Germany or any defeated nation than
anything in history was looked upon by
the administration as largely instru-
mental in creating a distr'eI Vt ~
presidents policy not justified by a
careful reading OF the note of Oct. IA.
on the other hand. the question of
whether the government played its
cards welly whether it gave sufficient
publicity to what it was doing in this
in a defenseless position, because its
critics could talk while the government
was bound in confidence with the al
lied governments to withhold the pro-
visions of the armistice until certain
changes had occurred in Ger
many. All this will be revealed some dav
when all the facts are available and
the last shred Of censorship and conf
dental restriction has been removes
from the intercourse of the belliger-
ents,
Copyright, 1918, nv the New York Eve
ming Post Coz