The Sentinel=record., 1918-10-17

imilian sent note and that when
President Wilson answered with an
inquiry 1t was Foreign Secretary 5olf
and not the chancellor who replied and
that Sof spoke of the new govern
ment which had been formed in Ger
many. 1t would not be without pre-
cedent II the peace party in Germany
actually was in possession of an i'm
perial rescript or other secret act re-
nouncing the power OF the kaiser and
his party, when the reply to Presi-
dent Wilson's inquiry was sent. IL
would not be without precedent If the
negotiation was begun with maneuv--
er for the best possible terms and
holding back the last card-the down.
fail of kaiserism.
If the prerequisites for an armlstice
are accepted, the arrangements win
be made not by a mixed commission
but by Marshal Foch and the CO. bill
L5erent G2mmanders.
These, as has been pointed out, will
be the means of taking from Germany
every agency with which she could
break her word if she would; the oc-
cupation by allied forces Of such
places as Strassburg, Metz and CO.
blenz; turning over to the allies of
her fleet and submarine bases: with
the recall of her submarines which
today's dispatches limited she was
ready to do, and the surrender of mu-
nitions of war, undoubtedly also the
agencies by which others might be
produced and probably the employ
ment of the great war machine plants
Of Germany to repair the industrial
damage done in Belgium and France
Seeing is believing, one official de-
clared tonight, and there will be no
Germany would be treated as mill
tary prisoner Of war-disarmed and
guarded. Alliel forces placed In STRAIT
egetic positiones could then by in
vasion OF Germany, if necessary, en-
force any terms. The allied war coun-
Gil in which President Wilson holds
one vote, as has long been known, has
agreed upon these conditions as guar
antees for the supremacy of the allied
armies
It can be stated with official author
ity that should Germany agree to such
an armistice the downfall of kaiserlsm
can easily be arranged at the peace
conference without danger of accept
ing negotiated peace" Allied forces
would be in a position to enforce the
decisions of the peace council.
The two chief questions in the minds
of public men tonight are, is the Ger
man military power really so broken
as to be ready to accept these terms
and the recurring question, what has
become Of the kaiser?
Throughout the American capital
there is the calm air of confidence,
mixed with the evidence of determina.
tion. People are reading the news
bulletins at the windows and buying
Liberty bonds at the curbs.
When President Wilson sent the
word to the country that there would
be mo relaxation of any kind" he
meant that no rumors of peace shpuld
undermine the fourth Liberty loan;
some of his friends believe he might
have been thinking of making it a
victory loan" for it is u fact that IL
Germany laid down her arms tomor-
row the loan would have to go over,
for much of the money already mas
been spent and the millions OF troops
in Europe must be provided for un-
ill they can be returned home
The president was reading the latest
dispatches tonight. making no com
ments and other officials were doing
the same. The official air was sur
charged with expectancy, hut 1t was
the expectancy which would not DE
surprised If Germany rallied to go on
for a while longer. and made another
attempt to save something from .he
wreckage.
There was no official indications of
whether the German reply had been
started for Washington, IL indeed 1t
had been decided upon.