Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1918 — THE PRESIDENTS REPLY. [ARTICLE]

THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.

As an evidence of the high opinion held of President Wilson’s reply to the German peace note, we copy the editorial expression of the Indianapolis News, which was one of the strongest anti-Wilson ■papers in the country in the last campaign: Th,e President’s reply to the chancellor is an adroit and excellent diplomatic answer that will prevent the German autocracy from rallying the German people behind them. Realizing that he was dealing with forces that are not acting in good faith the President throws back on them the onus of a decision as to whether they will continue this wicked war of their own making or unconditionally surrender. The chancellor must say whether he speaks for the German people or for the constituted authorities of the empire who have thus far conducted the war—a very pointed question which goes to the core of the situation as it has been heretofore analyzed by the President. What the blunt American would first be moved to say would probably not be polite, but it would be pointed. The President has said it in the language of statecraft. The question that presented itself to him was one of proving the insincerity of the offer. And he has thrown on Germany the burden of proving her good faith—if she has any. Does the chancellor really accept the President’s

offer? If he does, he must say so, and act on it. If not there is an end of "the matter. What is quite as important, the chancellor can not refuse to accept the terms which he says he has accepted as “a basis for peace negotiations,” without—at least so it is hoped—convincing the German people that their government, and not the government of the United States is responsible for prolonging the war. In other words, the President declined to walk into the trap. On the Contrary, he put the real issue up to the chancellor, and did it in such a way as to make it impossible for him to evade it. Last January the President’s peace terms were formulated. Now we are to learn from the German government whether they are honest-, ly accepted. An effective counterattack has been launched. The demand is that the chancellor shall say whether he “is speaking merely for the constituted authorities of the empire who have so far conducted the war.’’ Taking this in connection with the repeated declaration of the President that those authorities could not be trusted, that they were without honor; and that therefore we could not deal with them, one clearly realizes what a thrust this question is. Here again the German people must know that it is their government that is standing in the way of peace, since, because of its character it is a government with which we can not possibly negotiate. The position of this government, which must be taken to be that of all the allies, put on Germany, the whole burden of making the decision as to peace on our terms, or war. It makes it impossible for the ,German government or the German army to appeal to the people on the theory that the United States is unwilling to consider the question of peace, and is bent on their destruction. The net effect is to put this government in an impregnable position. There is to be no departure from our original terms. They still stand, and it is for Germany to say whether she accepts them — accepts them in the name of her people and not of her dishonest government. Of course the., President rejects utterly the suggestion of an armistice as long as there is one German soldier on foreign soil. When they are all withdrawn from their barbarous invasion it will be time enough to talk of a, cessation of hostilities But even then, such, is —the Presidents —position, there could be no armistice until the terms had been accepted. They can not be discussed. There can be no discussion till they are accepted and enforced —and this can not be until the German people speak through other than “the Potsdam gang,” or cry from their knees in unconditional surrender. The one remaining hope of the American people is that there is to be no prolonged diplomatic controversy. There is no need for it. The terms on which peace may be had are already laid down and can not be abated.