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Show rain wnfw mi pi (nKP 'iuUiLlyJuvJ lAJOlsy U$) L'Li liU uvl lyJu u LiuLl szr xzr szr xzr szr szr szr z?r jttt stt stt . stt PRESIDENT SENDS MQUIRY ' QPSTiOMG GOOD FiffiS WASHINGTON, Oct. 8. President Wilson today informed the government of Germany that before the United States can discuss an armistice, German troops must withdraw from all invaded territory. ' He asks Chancellor Maximilian whether he represents the German people or the authorities of the empire who are conducting the war. The president's message was not a reply, but in the nature of an inquiry. The imperial German Ger-man government is asked whether it accepts the termi laid down by the president in his address to congress January 8 and in subsequent ad-dresses. ad-dresses. The text of the president's message, as incorporated incor-porated in a message Secretary of State Lansing delivered to the Swiss charge d'affaires, follows: "Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge on be-.half be-.half of the president your note of October 6, in-'closing in-'closing a communication from the German government gov-ernment to the president, and I am instructed by the president to request you to make the following follow-ing communication to the imperial German chancellor: chan-cellor: "Before making reply to the request of the imperial German government and in order that that reply shall be as candid and straightforward as the momentous interests involved require, the president of the United States deems it necessary, to assure himself of the exact meaning of the note of the imperial chancellor. Does the imperial chancellor mean that the imperial German government gov-ernment accepts the terms laid down by the president presi-dent in his address to the congress of the United States on the 8th of January, last, and in subsequent subse-quent addresses and that its object in entering into discussions would be only to agree upon the practical details of their application? "The "presi dent feels bound to say, with regard re-gard to the suggestion of an armistice, that he would not feel at liberty to propose a cessation of arms to the governments with which the gov- ernment of the United States is associated against the central powers so long as the armies of those powers are upon their soil. The good faith of any discussion would manifestly depend upon the consent of the central powers immediately to withdraw their forces everywhere from invaded' territory. "The president also feels. that he is ' justified ' in asking whether the imperial chancellor is speaking merely for the constituted authorities of the empire who have so far conducted the war. He deems the answer to these questions vital from every point of view. The translation of the German note as presented by Swiss Charge d'Affaires Oederlin said:- ' "The German government requests the president of the United States of America to take steps for the restoration of. peace, to notify all belligerents of this request and to invite them to delegate plenipotentiaries for the purpose, of taking up 'negotiations. ' "The German government accepts as a basis.fcar peace negotiations nego-tiations the program laid down by the president of the United Slates in his message to congress of January 8, 1918, and in his Mibsequent pronouncements, particularly in his address of September Septem-ber 27, 1018. - . "In order to avoid further bloodshed the German government requests to bring about the immediate conclusion of a general arniiMice on land, on water and in the air." The president also made at aubtle maneuver when In hla message he inquired whether , Prince Max spoke for derma nje war lord or waacthe people'a mouthpiece aa well. If, aa generally believed here, Germany'a peace orfer waa hypocritical, tiie president anawer la designed to put the m altera of flermnny into a diplomutlc hole. They must now aoeept President Wilson's Wil-son's peace terms aa-a whole. In good faith or atand before tho world convicted con-victed of deceit. ' Ills query as to the exact meaning of Prince Max'i proposal waa Interpreted In-terpreted here ns the recult of allied preaaure for leaving the way open to further Teutonic concesstotia. ' HI next paragranh--ihe refusal to deal with tho Germane while atin 0 allied aoil---wus the distinctively American reapone to the German offer. Authorities hete believe Germany cannot anawer the querlee aatlafactorlly, and hence there will be no peace negotiations at thia time. .The presidents reply waa taken aa fully squaring with gdvanco predictions predic-tions of a refusal to accept .the Teuton offer now. Ittit the fact that lite president left an opening for further dealings cam aa more or lesa of a aurprise. It was generally hailed, however, aa an Ingenious In-genious meana of diacredltlng th kaiser and hla associate. If they refuse now to mak peace clearly, on tho preaiden't' term, thy will be in trouble with their-own people, It waa held. At tho same tlm tho '. note by indirection, reiterate th prealdent' prvlou position aa not dealing with th Hohensollerna, but instead with men actually representing, th German Ger-man people. ' .' The atata department had nothing to aay as to th disposition ol th ' Austrian peace offer and th Turkish offer reported to b on rout. - . ; ' .' - v ' |
