The Washington herald., 1918-10-13
Guarantees Lacking,
Senators Declare.

Members OF the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee saw small hope of
an immediate armistice as a result of
the reported note from Prince Max
1t was generally agreed. however,
that the answer justified the action
of President Wilson in first sending
to the German government a note OF
inquiry before making a reply to the
original peace offer.
Senator Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, of
Nebraska, chairman OF the commit
tee, said:
II later events show that this re-
port is authentic, IL will be evident
to everyone that the President showed
great wisdom in obtaining definite
statements from the German chan
cellor. Certainly this answer appears
to be a great Improvement over any
thing we have had.
II do not believe that It can be
accepted without many qualifications
and without guarantees.
Germany Must Change Law.
Much discussion Of this reply will
turn upon the sentences dealing with
the answer Of Prince Max as to the
authority by which he makes tho
peace offer
1T does not seem to me that the
Chancellor nor the Reichstag is in a
position to make a contract They
have not the authority and they will
not have such authority until there
Is a change in the organic laws of
Germany. There must be a change in
the constitutional government of Ger
many which will place in the hands
OF the people the full legal power
for entering into contracts with other
nations.
Moreover. It would seem to me. 1t
will be necessary to move very care
fully in taking up the question Of an
armistice. II would appear that moth
ing can be done looking to an
armisttce until guarantees have been
given. These guarantees would in
clude military guarantees which
would beyond question bind the Ger
man military party"
Senator Williams View.
Senator John Sharp williams, Of
Mississippi. said:
There can be no arnistice until
Germany has withdrawn from all in
vaded territory. That is clear. This
note apparently states that Germany
will bring about such evacuation. 1t
would appear that she could have
given more definite assurance of her
desire for peace If she had replied
that she had ordered evacuation.
The closing sentences of the note
will not prove satisfactory. The chan
cellor is responsible only to the
Kaiser. He is not responsible to the
Reichstag. which Is representative of
the people. Some change must be
hro rk
by which they can give the world
every assurance and guarantee that
they are conducting the negotiations,
ists.'
senator Knox silent.
Senator Philander c. Knox of
Pennsylvania expressed qualification
at the general tenor OF the note but
refused to comment upon It
Senator Charles S. Thomas Of COL
orado said:
TT would not seem that this answer
gives assurance OF an end Of hostil-
tiles in the immediate future. But
the quickness Of the response clearly
shows that Germany has reached the
end Of her military resources.
TO my mind it is the sentiment Of
the AhcIlCdH people ana OF the ma
tions associated with US in this war
that there must be reparation and
restitution by Germany for the great
wrongs she has committed. I be-
lieve that all peoples feel that the
oceans of blood spent by the allied
armies shall have been sacrificed in
vain unless Germany atones for her
crimes. Germany must answer for
her crimes before peace will be de-
clared
"Gernany's reply relative to the
question of evacuation does not ap-
pear to be satisfactory. The Presi-
dents note of inquiry appears to pre-
suppose that Germany will carry out
an evacuation before any question of
an arnistice will be taken up with
the allies. It is possible. however,
that Germany by at once ordering an
evacuation can secure the Presidents
cooperation in bringing the question
to an arraistice before the allied ma
tons.
The President has made It clear
that the United States considers the
present German government untrust-
worthy and unworthy of being made
party to any negotiations. Hence,