Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1918 — WILSON CONFERS WITH ALLIES ON PEACE ANSWER [ARTICLE]

WILSON CONFERS WITH ALLIES ON PEACE ANSWER

President’s Reply to Go to Germany Within FortyEight Hours. IS AT WORK ON THE NOTE ‘Berlin Will Be Told It Must Accept ’ Terms Without Argument—Will Explain to the People of All the World. Amsterdam, Oct. B.—Excited crowds In the streets of Berlin tore the special editions of the newspapers containing the speech of Prince Maximilian from the hands of the newsboys. Everywhere shout of “Peace has cornel" “Peace at lastl" were heard.

Washington, Oct. B.—President Wilson is conferring with the premiers of the entente nations over the form of answer to be made to Germany’s latest pence proposals. The Indications are that it will not be dispatched for a day or two. While there may be some question ar to the form of the reply, there is no question whatever as to its nature. It may not use the short and forceful term ’’unconditional stirrender,” which would reflect the sentiment which has come from the spokesman of the nation, but It is sure to convey to the German government very clearly the fact that nothing less than the terms already laid down can be accepted, and that those terms cannot be made merely “the basis for negotiation.” As to an armistice, such a step would be looked upon ns suicidal and not tobe thought of. Col. E. M. House, the president’s constant adviser and personal repreMmtutlye on many confidential errands, arrived at the White House. The peace notes from the German and Austrian empires are before President WHson and he Is working on his reply. There is no doubt whatever as to the manner In which the president will dispose of this latest and most formidable “peace offensive” by the central powers. The I forecast of yesterday (bat be will reject the proposals holds good today, but another element has entered into the matter, and it calls for the extreme -care the president Is giving to the preparation of his answer.

Reply to Have Two Purposea. As the president is lignin speaking for the entire allied world, he is expected to Issue a plain statement of fact which will have two purposes in view. “ , . , Chief of these will be to explain to the average citizen of the United States, as well as the average citizen of. Great Britain, France and Italy, why ft is* Impossible to consider peace at this time from an eneffly whose every action has been tinged with treachery and duplicity. The second purpose will be to explain to the German people and the Austrian people why pence is Impossible while their destinies are directed by the same military autocracy which now, b< fore the specter of defeat and under the cloak of an alleged democratic chancellor, asks that further bloodshed be avoided. May Get Allies' Views First. 19 some quarters today also it was ’suggested that the president,; before the dispatch of his reply, would communicate with the representatives of the allied governments. This idea ’was based on a passage in the German note requesting that other belligerents be notified of ltf» desire for peace.

Certainly, In- view of the Ingenuity of the German proposal, which, coming from an honorable foe, would appear to bear certain evidences of good faith, the president has every Incentive for care in the preparation of his reply. He is said to be proceeding on the •assumption that the Austro-German notes constitute the supreme effort on the part of the central powers /n the direction of a peace which would allow them tq escape the responsibility they should face for turning the world into a charnal House for more than four years.