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Show Members Against an Armistice at This Time. DISTRUST GERMANY Central Powers Must Mold Up Hands ant! . Admit Defeat. WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 Discussing Germany's peace offer in the senate today, Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,, chairman of the foreign relations com-' mittee. declared "absolutely abhorrent" abhor-rent" even a thought of suspension of hostilities now and recommended the addition to the principles previously laid down by, the president as a basis for peace, one providing that the Allies Al-lies would deal only with real representatives repre-sentatives of the German people. Republican leader Lodge, ranking minority member of the foreign relations rela-tions committee, declared that an armistice "would mean the loss of the war and all we have fought for." Germany, Ger-many, he said, now merely proposes a long debate on the basis of peace. Tho only future coiirse, Senator Lodge emphatically declared, is to secure se-cure a complete military victory over Germany and force her to sue for peace. Senator McCumber of North Dakota Dako-ta introduced a resolution which was referred to the foreign relations com-mittee com-mittee providing that before the United Uni-ted States agrees to any armistice, Germany must disband her army, surrender sur-render her navy, arms and munitions and agree to pay for damages to cities and country devastated, restore Alsace-Lorraine to France together with the penalty exacted from Franco in 1870. WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 Discussion of Germany's pence offer began in the senate soon after tod i.v's session con- irm vened. Senator" Poindexter of Washington, Wash-ington, Republican declared the proposal pro-posal for an armistice, a "most-insidious danger." When Senator Poindexter declared an armistice would mean the end of all military action and. if accompanied accompan-ied only by enemy evacuation of Bel -1 glum and France, would be a victory! for Germany. Senator Hitchcock ofj Nebraska, chairmanof the foreign relations re-lations committee, earnestly pointed out that tho German offer also provides pro-vides for acceptance of the fourteen terms laid down by tho president in his address of January 8. Acceptance of Germany's offer only upon evaguation of Belgium and France, Senator Hitchcock said, would) be preposterous but he declared res- toration of Alsace-Lorraine to France; as well as reparation for Belgium and France are among the president's terms which Germany proposes to acpept. "It is unfortunate," said Senator Poindexter, "that the proposition for a too early peace, although conceded with propositions of surrender and sacrifice may be prevented because of the inability for agreement between Great Britain. France and tho United Uni-ted States and the other allies! Armistice Will Bo. Prevented "An armistice would mean the end forever of any additional military ef fort. I have faith that Clemonceau, the tiger of France the greatest man in many respects of the present time and the seer of Wales, that great statesman premier of Eangland will uv Ami i io proieci against any such unwise step. "Germany would come out a victor just as she wont into it. If we accepted ac-cepted this offer Alsace-Lorraine would still bo in German hands, Poland Po-land still would be enslaved, Serbians and Bohemians in Austria still would be under the Austrian yoke; Russia, although evacuated, still would bo at the. mercy of Germany. It would leave Belgium and Franco unindemnlfied; It would leave Constantinople, strategically strategi-cally tho most Important In the world in commercial lines with Asia, still dominated by the unspeakable Turk and leave the German and Turkish alliance al-liance still intact." Hitchcock Asks Questions Senator Hitchcock of the foreign relations re-lations committee here interrupted Senator Poindexter to ask: "Is the senator not omitting a very important condition? That is that the nations making the offer are appearing appear-ing to accept 14 terms laid down by the president in his address of January Jan-uary S and again laid down as modified modi-fied late in February and again In his New York speech. Do not the fourteen four-teen conditions include restoration and indemnification of Belgium and return re-turn to France of Alsace-Lorraine?" "Did the president say that?" Minority, Minor-ity, Leader Lodge Interjected. "I think that can at least be inferred," in-ferred," Senator Hitchcock replied. Senator Poindexter declared that Senator Hitchcock's statement itself indicated "the dangerous and inslduous character" of the support given to the evacuation proposition. If an armistice armis-tice were granted, he said, Germany's unconquered army would withdraw to its own borders and then Germany would discuss which propositions ol tho president she would agree to discuss dis-cuss and also the offect of the president's presi-dent's fourteen conditions. "What Germany means by justice is not what we mean,'' Senator Poindexter Poin-dexter continued. "Justice for Gcr- many would mean execution'of a few of the murderers and robbers who wont through Belgium. It would mean trial by military court martial of tho kaiser for crimes ho sanctioned. What they want is not justice, but mercy and that Is what they ought to ask for." "I agree with the senator," replied Senator Hitchcock, "that the thought of a compromise of hostilities while CiPrmany and Austria are occupying a single foot of Belgium, France or Italy is preposterous but the proposition is not simply one of suspending hostilities. hostilit-ies. "One of the principles laid down by the president," said Senator Hitch -coclc. "as subsequently essential is restoration of Alsace -Lorraine." Lodge Against Armistice. "Don't you think." suggested Senator Sena-tor Lodge, "that the plain English of it is, that an armistice now would moan he loss of the war?" "I do not thing that that is too strong a statement," replied Senator Poindexter. "It seems to me that all gf this discussion dis-cussion is rather academic, said Senator Sen-ator Nelson of Minnesota. "The question ques-tion of an armistice should be left to the commander-in-chief of the allied armies, Marshal Foch. Let Germany propose to him that she law down her arms, quit as Bulgaria has done. It should be an unconditional surrender. I must say that I am surprised at tho attitude of the chairman of the foreign relations committee this morning." Borah Scores Central Powers. Attention was called by Senator Borah to a speech made, by President Wilson in which the United States could not deal with the governments of the Central empires because they were without honor and added: "We cannot come to terms with them, but they must come to us." Lodge Opposes Armistice. Senator Lodge said: "I do not believe be-lieve the president has the slightest thought of agreeing to any armistice at this time. I can't imagine it. While wo have no right to sottle the form of German government, or that of anybody any-body else, we do have the right that when we negotiate we do it with somebody some-body who does not regard treaties as scraps of paper. "It is not a question now of the fourteen points, or the eight points or four points or whatever they are. The question now Is very simple. Germany has begun a great peace offensive. I come and every newspnper In the country blazons it in the headlines, i They treated it as if it were some-' thing we are to deal with seriously at this stage. "The German proposition is an armistice, ar-mistice, to discuss the terms. They propose to enter a long discussion of the basis of peace. An armistice now would mean simply the loss of the war and all we've fought for. "The mischief now Is in discussion. When Germany holds up her hands and says 'we are beaten; what terms will you impose?' then the United States and the allies can tell what terms they will impose." |