Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-15
see GIVE up
AS WILSON'S
REPLY TOFOE
Unconditional Surrender
Asked by President, Is
Capitals View.

Washington Oct. Is. Uncondi-
donal surrender by Germany was
he Interpretation put on President
| wilson 5 answer TO the German
| plsa for peace by both American
| md allied military officials here
| Only hy absolute surrender. they
said. can the enemy now prevent
.he terminating evidence of his de
| faat-inyasi0n of Germany.
President Wilson's reply to Ger
| many. ending talk of an armistica
/ until the Germans are ready TO sur
I render AMI finally closing the door
( 10 peace negotiations with kaiser
ism was on the cables today, if 1t
| actually had no. arrived at Berne.
Only few hours should be required
for its delivery al Berlin through
/ The Swiss foreign Office.
There is no doubt among officers
4 that sooner or later the enemy
viii be compelled 10 accept these
| uncomprOmisiIg terms The Ger
man army = being pounded TO
| death in the field, they declared .
o
| h0pe 10 save from the Wreckage is
| 10 prevent the war being carried
| across her border And that can
! b accomDl Dlished only at the price
/ Of putting herself as utterly at the
| mercy Of the Victors as did Bull
| garia
! Military opinion appeared to be
| II full agreement that in enunciat-
ing the policy that absolute safe
guards and guarantees of the
present military supremacy" Of
| American and allied forces must
| control any armistice agreement,
President Wilson had placed it be
yond the power of Germany to reap
any benefit from an insincere move
toward peace.
Up tn Supreme Board.
The question of the agencies 20
Be employed in framing armistice
| conditions naturally will come M
only when Germany has complied
with the presidents other require
nents. Il seemed probable to Off
! Gals, however. that the military
| board Of the supreme war council
1 a Versailles would be the natural
agency. The council itself is com
posed only OF the premieTS Of the
| allied nations and President Will
son. The military and all Other
! boards Of the council are advisory
| only and their Communications
must be ratified by the council to
become effective.
Without question Marshal FCch,
he supreme commander, and the
field commanders. Generals Petain
Halg, Pershing and DiaZ would be
suily consulted and the resulting
definite terms Of surrender in all
probability would be at once rati-
lied and laid before Germany as
he only price for respite from at
lack
II was pointed our that it was the
situation Of today at the front that
constituted the supremacy Of which
the president speaks. the situation
Which must be adequately safe
guarded. As competent military
!ldges see that situation. the Ger
nan army is IN desperate straits
particularly for man power There
$50 IS striking evidence of wan
Ing morale
Germans Hard Pressed.
With the shortage OF man power
10 meet il was said that the Ger
llan general staff has logically de-
tided upon shortening it's lines =
Increase the resisting power Of its
feCuced forces To accomplish 4
\ scientific retreat. however. the
Hhef IN the rear must be prepared.
organized and equipped in advance
dhd reserve troops must be install
n IN those lines 70 receive and
eaeck the shock OF enemy pursuit
SIet the refreatiug forces have
passed through 10 rest and reor-
saalze in the rear
nder the terrific and never
ssaslns hammering Of the allied
armies, however. they have no
ahie 10 arrange for withdrawal OIL
I-e scale necessary 10 meet their
s1rlnkjng forces
Prevents Enemy Trick.
Many officers have feared that b.
some diplomatic trickery the en-
~! would secure enough time 10
a. back on the Rhine, shorten his
ines, re-disJribute his forces. re
sVnsti,Gte his stock Of guns and
Iahitions and prepare tor Il long
ueiensiFe battle President VIII
son reply has shown the enemy,
Vas said raa this program no
<.ohger Is possible 10 him He must
1snt Il out now or surrender.
:, One allied officer. summarizing
ne situation said Jus, as we
20 the feeling last March OF being
Eays 4s hours 100 late TO stop
1e drive toward Amiens. now the
1FME. dominated by the power
-u continuity % our attacks, Il
oLEer succeed ding IN fllling the
sps Bur while each month our
ices were constantly increasing