Evening star., 1921-10-28
CHAPTER Mi.
PRESIDENT WILSON IN ACTION.


The chancellor would like to have
at least eight days respite. Gen. Lu-
dendorff. for an answer. demands
twice in succession the text of the
peace offer. The chancellor asks
,lueStions: For how long can the
army hold the frontiers? Does the
great general staff expect the front
TO give way? If so, when? Does 1t
realize that. if peace negotiations
are initiated under the pressure OF a
critical military situation. 1t may
lead to the loss of the colonies, OF
Aisace-L Lorraine and of the Polish
provinces" To these questions there
is only one reply made, on October J.
under the signature of Marshal HIM
denburg, who. in Berlin. on that day,
sent the following letter to the cham
cellor:
The supreme command of the
army maintains it's demand. FOR
mulated on Sunday. September %.
1918, for an immediate offer OF
peace to our enemies.
AS the result of the breakdown
Of the Macedonian front and OF the
reduction of reserves il has led to
on the western front. as a result
also of the impOSSibilty in which
We are to make good the very
lrSSc$ that have been IHi!cted on
us in tn" fighting of the past ten
days. there no longer remains any
hope-aS far as man can judge
o. forcing the enemy to make
peace.
Throwing in Fresh Reserves.
The enemy on it's side is daily
throwing fresh reserves into the
struggle. Nevertheless the Ger
man army remains firm and vic
L.. Rttf
the situation becomes more crit
iral every day. and may force
the high command to take meas
ureS the consequences Of when
will be very serious.
Under the circumstances it is
better to cease the struggle to
save the German people and their
allies from useless losses.
Every day lost costs us thou
sands of brave soldiers.
The chancellor yielded to this pres
sure. and on October tcieSrapnS
through the Swiss government to freSi-
dent Wilson to beg him to summon the
belligercnts to peace negotiations upon
the basis of the fourteen points, and to
put an end to bioodshed by the i'm
mediate. conclusion of an armistiCc.
Everybody, except Prince Max Won
Baden. the vice chancellor, Won Payer.
and the secretary of state. Solf. seems
to believe that by itself this cable will
suffice to relieve the crisis. As a matter
of fact, Germany ny sending this dis
patch delivers herself into the hands
of the allies. The situation from now
on to the 1lth of November is to develop
with the relentless logic of triumphant
fate.
ON October the ministers hold a
meeting They would like to hear other
generals beside Gen. Ludendorff. Won
Payer says:
we. must: Ludendorff's nerves are
no longer equal to the strain"
Decide to Seek kaiser's Aid.
II is decided 10 seek the interventiorr
of the kaiSer--for the resignation of the
first ouartermaster general is feared if
attempt is made to consult his sub
Crdinates. On October S President Will
son replies TO the German note of the
9Th. 1t is brief reply which throws
the recipients into CONSERVATION they
cannot conceal No conversation is Dos
Sible. declares the President, either OF
peace or an armistice. until preliminary
guarantees shall have been furnished.
These are the acCepta ton pure and
simple of the bases of peace laid down
on January s. 1918. and in the Pres
dents subsequent addresses; the GER
tainty that the chancellor does not
speak only in the name of the consti-
tuted authorities who so far have been
responsible for the conduct of the war;
the evacuation of all invaded territories
The President will transmit no COM
munication to his associates before hav-
ing received full satisfaction on these
three points.
The German ministers hold a coun-
Gil again. There are successive con-
ferences on the 9th the 10th. the 11th
and the 18th. Gen. Ludendorff is pres
ent at the first. The ministers make
him feel that the responsibility for
the present situation in his, and there
fore his also the responsibility for
the answer which must be prepared.
He addresses them at length. He be-
gins with a long historical disquisi-
ton. ends in Il profuSe and contra
dictory sea of words At times he is
reaSSuring:
'I see no immediate danger for the
Lorraine frontier. The Rhenish prov
inceS can be held for a long time yet.
Once We are back on our own from
tier. the army will be able to repulse
any enemy attack"
Gives Way to Alarm.
At times he gives way to alarmist
outbursts:
The danger of a break through is
always there. ! do not fear it. But
1t is possible. Yesterday it's success
hung upon a thread. The armies must
have rest"
But OF positive conclusions none. He
maintains that the offer of peace and
cnrcrar HYorrCrc