Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-09
Peace Door Open
lContinued from Pane Onel

speaks for the German militarists
whom the President has denounced as
unworthy of any trust and who regard
, ed treaties as scrap of paper" or
whether he speaks with the force of the
people of a nation. This is regarded as
probably the most important part of the
Presidents communication fraught with
potent possibilities of the most far.
! reaching effect in Germany, where an
active Allied propaganda has been max
ing rapid Roadway in awakening the
German people to the necessity of as
Stunning the responsibilities of their own
government and making their own
peace.
To appreciate its meaning this part
of the Presidents answer must be con-
sidered in connection with a portion of
his speech of Sept. q in New York in
which he declared We are all agreed
, that there can be no peace of any kind
Of bargain or compromise with the gov
ernments of the Central Empires, be-
cause we have dealt with them already
and have seen them deal with other
governments that were parties to this
struggle, at Brest-Litovsk and Buchar-
est
They have convinced us that they
are without honor and do not intend
justice. They observe no covenants,
accept no principle but force and
their own interests. We cannot come
to terms with them. They have made
it impossible. The German people
must by this time be fully aware that
we cannot accept the word of those
who have forced this war upon us
We do not think the same thoughts
or speak the same language of
agreement.
It can be authoritatively stated
|. that this pronouncement will oe the
answer to Prince Macmillan if ne
replies that he speaks for tine kas-
er. 1t is regarded as possible Il not
indeed likely that the German mill
tarist leaders hoped for curt anI
defiant answer with which they
could rally their people to give their
last drops Of blood for the protec-
ton OF the Fatherland" and with
ether rolling phrases in which the
German official pronouncementS
bound.
The unanimous opinion among diplo-
mats is that the President by care
fully studied and most skillful reply has
robbed them of that opportunity if they
desired it, and has sent to the German
people themselves new message that
the United States and the Allies de-
sire nothing more than reign of law
ha Of he
and sustained by the organized opinion
of mankind. 1t was freely conceded
that a hasty reading of the Presidents
answer might not at first satisfy some
who hoped for a fiat rejection OF any
terms but an unconditional surrender.
But the government s confident that as
the Presidents communcatonsis care
fully digested and its full portent
grasped. its almost inevitable effect re-
ing the German military party on its
home grounds comprehended, it will be
seen that the President chose very
deep but direct method of developing
an answer for all time to the question;
Do the German people wan peace?
An armistice while the invaders re-
main on violated soil is already rejected.
Germany now must states whether she
accepts "a reign of law based upon con-
sent of the governed" or whether she
wants to negotiate one; she must say
whether the appeal for peace comes
from the beaten militarists who began
war for world domination. or from
war-ridden people ready to make
peace lasting.