Show GERMAN NOTE FAILS I TO ACCEPT TERMS UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER IS NOT MENTIONED BY BOCHE WHO WOULD ARGUE Protests Against the Reproach of Illegal and Inhuman Actions on onLand onLand onLand Land and Sea but Avoids Big Issues in Replying to Wilson 1 Germany Washington Gel Germany mn has replied to President Wilson with a note which though no nu one oue is prepared to sa say it itu u will Ill lead the president even evento to continue continue con con- continue exchanges on the subject of an armistice and amid pence peace at nt least has served ser almost to tu bring conviction here that the people of Germany actually are taking the reins of government und and sincerely desire peace on an any terms the time United States and the allies are arc willing to give In accepting the proposal for an evacuation of occupied territories the Ule German government has started from the assumption that the time procedure of this evacuation and of these con conditions conditions condi condi- l- l of an armistice should be left to the judgment of the military advisers and that the actual standard of power on both sides In the time field has to form the basis for arrangements safeguarding safeguarding safe safe- guarding this standard The German government suggests to the president that an nn opportunity i should be brought out for fixing the details It trusts that the president of the United States will approve of no demand which would be Irreconcilable able abie with the honor of the German people mid and with opening a way to a peace of justice The German government protests against the time reproach of illegal and Inhuman inhuman inhuman In in- human actions made against the German German German Ger Ger- man land and sea forces and thereby against the German people For or the erin cO covering of a retreat destructions will always s 's be necessary and the they are carried carried carried car car- ried out In so far as is IS' permitted by international law The German troops are under most strict Instructions to spare private property and to exercise care for the population to the best of their ability Where transgressions occur In spite of the these e instructions the guilty are being punished Time Tho German government further denies that the German navy In sinkIn sinking sinking sink sink- In ing ships has ever purposely destroyed lifeboats with their passengers The German government proposes with regard regard regard re re- re- re gard to all those charges that the facts be cleared up by b neutral commissions In order to avoid a anything that might hamper the work of ot peace the German government has caused orders orders or 01 ders dels to be dispatched to all submarine ne comm commanders precluding the torpedoing torpedo torpedo- ing of passenger ships without however however however how how- ever for technical reasons being able to guarantee that these orders will reach every single singie submarine at sea before its return As a fundamental condition for pe peace ce the president prescribes the destruction destruction des des- of er e every arbitrary power that can separately secretly and of its own single choice disturb the peace of the thc world To 10 this the German government replies Hitherto the representation of the people In the German empire has not been endowed l with an un Influence on the formation of the time government The constitution did not provide lle for a u concurrence of representation of the people of decisions In peace pence and war These conditions have just now undergone a fundamental change A Anew Anew Anew new government has been formed In him Incomplete complete accordance with the wishes principle of th tho representation of of the people based on equal universal secret secret secret se se- se- se cret direct franchise The leaders of the great parties of the reichstag are members of this gov gov- In the future no government can take or continue in office without possessing the confidence of a majority of the reichstag The responsibility of the chancellor of the empire to the representation of the people is being legally developed and acid safeguarded The first act of the new government has been to lu lay before the reichstag a bill to alter aUel the con constitutIon constitution of the empire so that the consent con consent con con- sent of the representation of the people peoples is s required for decisions on war and peace The permanence of the time new system systems stem is s however guaranteed not only onh b by constitutional safeguards but also h by bythe the he unshakable determination of the German people whose vast majority stands behind these thee reforms and demand demand denand de- de mand nand their energetic continuance The question of or the president with president with whom he hc anI and the governments asso asso- associated associated against Germany are dealings dealing dealing- I is 18 s therefore answered In a clear unequivocal unequivocal unequivocal un un- equivocal manner by the time statement that hat the offer of peace and an armistice armis- armis tice ce has hus come conic from a n government which IS IS' free tree from all any arbitrary and Irresponsible irresponsible influence Is supported by the time approval of an overwhelming majority of or the German people |