Show DENIES ILLEGAL AND INHUMAN ACTIONS ACTION Solf S Says JS J'S German Troops Arc Are Under Unde Most Most- Strict StrIct- Instructions Spare Private Property And Care For Population Germany has replied to President Presides Wilson's Wilsons ons on's last note Hundreds o of or statesmen and newspapers newspapers' all over the Allied world believe It lacks the right light ring The of or opinion seems to be that no answer should be returned and that further further discus discus discussion sion slon be stopped In fact a resolution to that effect has been Introduced in it inthe inthe the U. U S S. S senate The following editorial paragraph in the Chicago Tribune is a fair sample of ot the comment in hundreds of ot leading dailies From the German response it itIs itis itis is apparent that the ruling powers powers pow pow- ers at Berlin now look complete defeat in the he face There here is but- but butone one mind In InA A America erIca on this war war that it shall go on QU to victory y to the utI utter ut ut- I ter destruction ter-destruction destruction of Prussian militarism militarism militarism mili mili- and to the establishment of peace founded on its ashes The German reply to President Wilson is given below The Tho German government protests against the reproach of Illegal megal and inhuman actions made against the German land and sea forces and thereby hereby against the German people For or the covering of a retreat destructions destructions destructions de de- will always be necessary and the they are carried out In so far ass as ass Js s permitted by international law The Cue German troops are under most strict instructions to spare private property rt and exercise to e care cue for the population to the J heat est of ot their abili abili- ty be y i Where transgressions occur In spite pile of oc these these- Instructions the guilty ire are re being punished The German government further denies that the German navy In sInking sink- sink ing ng ships ha has destroy destroyed ed d lifeboats with their passengers The he German gover government ment proposes propose with rith regard to all those charges that the he facts be cleared up by neutral commissions Boats U-Boats U Culled Called Off 01 In order to av avoid ld anything that might night hamper the work work of peace the German Lerman government nt has bas caused orders orders ord ord- ers rs to be dispatched to all submarine commanders precluding the torpedoing torpedo- torpedo ing ng rig of passenger ships passenger ships without however how how- ever aver for technical reasons being able to o guarantee that these orders will wUl reach each every single submarine at sea seal before l its return I As a fundamental condition for peace the President prescribes th the destruction of every arbitrary power that hat can separately secretly and of ofis Its ts is own single choice disturb the peace of the world To this the Gernan German German Ger Ger- man nan government replies Hitherto the representation of th he people In hi the German empire has not of been endowed with an Influence on n the formation of f the government Now New Government Formed The COl constitution did not provide for Tor h a a concurrence of representation of or f the the- people of decisions in peace peace and nd war These conditions have just List now undergone a fundamental change hange A new government has been formed armed In complete accordance with the he wishes principle of ot the representation representation of or tho the people based on equal universal secret direct franchise franchise fran fran- chise him The Faders of the great parties of the reichstag are members of this government In the future no government government gov gov- can take e or or continue in office office of of- fice ce without possessing the tho confidence dence ence of or a a- majority of ot the reichstag The responsibility of the chancellor chancel chancel- chancel I lor sr of tho the empire to the representation representation tion Ion of the people is being legally developed and safeguarded Tho The first act g of f the new government has been een to la lay before the reichstag a abill abill bill to alter the constitution of or the empire BO so that the consent consent- of the representation of tho the people Is required re required re- re for decisions on war and peace I People Behind Reforms Reform The p permanence of the new system tem em Is however gu guaranteed not only by y constitutional safeguards but also by the unshakable determination tion ion of tho the German people whose Vast Tast ast majority stands behind these reforms and demand their energetic continuance Continued on Last Page |