Evening star., 1943-09-26
1913 Parallel
Continued From Page CID

freely over the German frontiers without
viSes. Herrons informant was a Bavarian
who reported that Di Fiori was the first
of series of agents Ludendorff would
send. among them very prominent men,
Ito prepare the way for a conciliatory
peace in case offensive in France was not
successful " The informant added that
IF America holds firm crash is coming
in Germany before many months
After the German defeats in early Au-
gust, the American diplomats in neutral
countries consistently reported break
ing down of German civilian morale and
instructions went out from Washington
to give no encouragement to the German
and Austrian agents putting out peace
feelers. Direct negotiations were not far
away, and on September 16 the Swedish
Minister to the United States trans
mitted to Secretary of State Lansing
a proposal by the imperial and royal
government Of Austria Hungary to the
governments of all belligerent states to
send delegates to confidential and un-
binding discussion on the basic princi-
pies for the conclusion of peace. Presi-
dent Wilson turned down this proposal
the same day it was received.
Bulgaria, hewever, was the first of the
Central Powers to sue for peace. The
United States was not at war with
Bulgaria and on September q President
Wilson was asked to use his influence
with his Allies to stop the bloodshed. The
President replied that he was willing to
urge an armistice if the Bulgarian gov
ernment would authorize him to say that
the conditions of the armistice would
be left for his decision. The Bulgarian
Army surrendered to the Allies on Sep
tember 20.
Ludendorf Urged Haste.
Four days later the Germans made
their first formal proposal for peace on
the basis of the IA points and the Pres-
dents later addresses. BY this time the
Kaiser, Ludenforff and Won Hindenberg
knew that Germany could not win Won
Hertling had resigned as chancellor and
was succeeded by Prince Max of Baden.
On October l, Ludendorff had urged
OF the military situation.
Today" wrote Ludendorff "the troops
are holding their own; what may happen
tomorrow cannot be foreseen The line
might be broken at any moment and
then our proposal would come at the
most unfavorable time. Our proposal
must be forwarded Immediately from
Bern to Washington. The army could
not wait 48 hours longer"
Prince Max was not satisfied and on
October 8, submitted a QUESTIONABLE to
Field Marshal Won Hindenberg, who re-
piled:
THE situation is daily growing more
acute and may force the supreme army
command to very serious decisions.
Under these circumstances it is impera-
tive to bring the struggle to an end in
order to spare the German people and
their allies useless sacrifice. Every days
delay costs the lives of thousands of
brave soldiers"
This pre-emptory order prevented
Prince Max from releasing trial bal
loon" he had planned for the next day in
Reichstag speech, which would have
prepared the German people for what
was in store. His plan had been to ask
for conference-as the Austrians had
done-and not to appeal to President
Wilson for an armistice.
The note was received in Washington
October 6, and Col House wrote in his
diary that the general opinion was that
the offer was trap designed to catch
Wilson in negotiated peace" which
would save Germany from defeat.
Saw Loss in Armistice.
In the Senate Senator Lodge of Mas
sachusetts suggested that an armistice
would mean the loss of the war. Other
Senators and many newspapers agreed.
Wilson, with the help of House, drafted
stern reply, among other things de-
manding immediate withdrawal of all
troops of the Central Powers from all in
vaded territory. The Germans ac-
cepted the Wilsonian terms but haggled
over the evacuation demand by assuming
that mixed commission would settle
this issue. This point, said House, was
the German trap.
IF the President agreed to suspend
hostilities while the mixed commission
debated the conditions of evacuation"
House says in his Intimate Papers,"
"Ludendorff would have time to with
draw his armies and escape the devastat-
ing pressure of Foch. The snare was
laid in full view; even American mex