The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1918-10-25
WILSON'S RINdrNc ANSWER
TO GERMANY

honor 10 acknowledge the receipt of
your note Of the 22nd transmitting
= communication under date Of the
goth from the German government,
and TO advise you that the President
has instructed me to reply thereto as
follows:
Having received the solemn and
explicit assurance Of the German gov
ernment that u unreserve,ily accepts
the terms Of peace laid down in his
address TO the Congress Of the United
states 'on the sth Of January, 1918,
and the principles Of settlement enun-
ciated In his subsequent addresses,
particularly the address Of the 9th
Of September. and that II desires TO
discuss the details Of their applica-
hon. and that this wish and purpose
enanated. not from those who have
hitherto dictated German policy and
conductcd the present war on Ger
m&ny's behalf. but from ministers
who speak for the majority IL the
Reiehstag and for an overwhelming
majority Of the German people; and
having also the explicit promise Of !
the present German government that
We humane rules Of civilized war
fare will be observed both on land |
! 800 sea by the German armed forces, |
the President Of the United States |
feels that he can not decline TO take
ny with the governments with which |
the Government Of the United States
is associated the question Of an
arTnistice.
He deems il his duty TO say again.
however. that the only armistice he
woald feel justified in submitting for
consideration would be one which
should leave the United States and
the Powers associated with her in a
position TO enforce any arrange
nents that may be entered into and
20 make renewal Of hostilities on
the part Of Germany impossible.
The President has, therefore.
transmitted his correspondence with
the present German authorities to
the Governments with which the Gov
ssnment Of the United States is AS
soeiated AS a belligerent. with the
suggestion that, II these Governments
are disposed to effect peace upon the
terms and principles indicated, their
military advisers and the military
advisers Of the United States be
asked to submit to the Governments
associated against Germany the nee.
cssary terms of such an arinistice as
viii fully protect the interests of the J
peoples involved and insure TO the
associated Governments the unre- i
strlcted power to safeguard and en- 1
force the details Of the peace 10 y
which the German government has
agreed. provided they deem such an {
arsAistice possible from the military O
point of view. Should such terms OF O
,arraistiee be suggested. their accept
ance by Germany will afford the best .
concrete evidence Of her unequivocaI "
ace eptance Of the terms and prin- a
ciples Of peace from which the whole i.
acron proceeds. :,
The President would deem him
sell lacking in eandor did he not X
point out in the .frankest possible v
terms the reason why extraordinary u
safeguards must be demanded. Sig r.
nihcant and important as the consti- b
tuiional changes seem to be which =,
are spoken of by the German For u
eign Secretary in his note of the goth
81 October. il does not. appear that
ene principle of a government re-
~ponsible to the German people has h
yet been fully worked out. or that ei
any guarantees either exist or are in q
that the alterations of h
principle and of practice now parti- "
ally agreed upon will be permanent. al
Moreover, IL does not appear that the OF
heart Of the present difficulty has d'
been reached. II may be that future dl
wars have been brought under the in
Control Of the German people, but u
the present war has not been so, and fin
\ is with the present war that we are OF
dealing. II is evident that the Ger tn
Dan people have no means of COM
handing the acquiescence Of the mil Tn
itary authorities of the empire in the al
Depular will; that the power of the sli
ling of Prussia to control the policy pl
u the empire is unimpaired; that the va
determining initiative still remains tin
With those who have hitherto been
be masters of Germany. Sc
"Feeling that the whole peace of ee
De world depends now on plain ou
Ipeaking and straightforward action, ar
|Ae President deems it his duty to sti
'Ay without any attempt to soften of
Mat may seem harsh words, that the
nHflons of the world do not and can ma
Ut trust the word of those who have of
been the masters of Ger to
nan ualiev and IN naint aut anaa ! "a.