Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-08
PRESIDENT IN REPLY
TO BERLIN DEMANDS
GOOD FAITH GUARANTY
Washington, October S.-President Wilson
this afternoon sent note to Germany demanding
whether that nation was acting in good faith

IS acting IN gOOd fa.rl
when it asked for an az
mistice and the calling
of an immediate peace
conference.
The President made it plain that uo.
on its reply 20 this query depended
any action that he might take. In
this connection be also made it plain
that he cannot suggest any armistice
so long as the troops of the central
powers remain on the soil of the gov.
ernments with which they are at war.
The President also frankly asked
the new German imperial chancellor
whether he is speaking merely for
the constituted authorities of the EN-.
pire who have heretofore conducted
the war"
The Note to Berlin.
The text of the reply addressed to
the charge d'affairs of Switzerland,
by whom the German note was deliv.
cred, follows:
"Sir:-
u have the honor to acknowI.
edge on behalf Of the President,
your note Of October 6, enclosing
a communication from the German
government to the President, and
! am instructed by the President to
request you to make the following
communication to the imperial Ger
man chancellor:
Before making reply to the 70.
quest OF the imperial German gov.
srnment and in order that that re.
ply shall be as candid and straioht.
forward as the momentous interest
involved requires, the President of
the United States deems Il neceS
sary to assure himself of the exact
meaning Of the note Of the imperial
chancellor.
Does the Imperial Chancellor
mean that the Imperial German
Government accept the terms laid
down by the President in his ad-
dress to the Congress of the 'On=nrr
States on the Sth of January last
and in subsequent addresses and
that its object in entering into dis
cUssions would be only to agree
upon the practical details of their
application?
The President feels bound to
say with regard to the suggestion
Of an armistice that he would not
feel at liberty to propose cessa-
tion to arms to the government
with which the government of the
United States is associated against
the Central Powers, so long as the
armies of those powers are upan
1 their soil.
The good faith of any discr-
sion would manfestly depend ur0n
the consent of the Central Powers
Immediately to withdraw their fore
es everywhere from invaded terri.
tory.
The President also feels thai
he is justified in asking whethe,
the Imperial Chancellor Il speak,
merely for the constituted author.
ties OF the Empire who have so e."
conducted the war He deems tie
answers to these questions Wit.
from every point of view
Accept Sir the renewed assur.
ance of my high consideration.
Signed Robert Lansiug. >
) Mr., Frederick Oederlin,
L. Charge d Affairs, OF Switzerland
} ad interim In charge Of German In.
terests in the United States.
: Reply is Completed
/ Washington, Oct President
Wilson's reply to the appeal of the
Teutonic powers for an immediate
armistice and peace conference was
completed just before noon today. At
chat time the president had been Sc
/, cluded in his study during the entire
, morning with Colonel f.. NJ. House
sent for Secretary of State Lansing
The latter was with the presiden,
, for nearly an hour II Is understood
! that he passed upon the phrasng OF
, the reply from the standpoint Of in
: ternational law The note, It is I'M
= derstood, was fully approved by Sec
/. retary Lansing and that arrange
. ments were at once made to get il
a started TO Berlin and Vienna.
Just before | o'clock Secretary e
, the President Joseph r. Tumulty an
|