GERMANY AND PEACE

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13896, 23 October 1918, Page 5

GERMANY AND PEACE

AMERICAN SENATOR'S RESOLUTION TO FORBID FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. UNTIL GERMANY SURRENDERS. VIGOROUS PROSECUTION OF TIIE WAR. TO OCCUPY GERMAN TERRITORY, (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 23, 8.40 a.m. WASHINGTON, October 22. Senator Poindexter has introduced a joint resolution proposing that Congress shall forbid further negotiations by the United States with Germany until the German forces surrender unconditionally. The resolution further calls for the prosecution of the war with the utmost vigour, and the occupation and control of such German territory as can be obtained by force. Until peace negotiations are concluded, the resolution declares it unlawful for any ofllcial of the American Government to answer any message, Note or representation from Germany on the subject of peace or armistice/ The resolution was referred to the Foreign Relations Comittee. The State Department officials believe that the wireless German Note does -not represent the exact official text. I BRITISH LABOUR VIEW. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn ) Received October 23, 9.30 a.m. LONDON, October 22. Referring to the German reply a prominent Labour member of the House of Commons, said: "My answer to the Huns is, 'Go to hell!'" NO NEARER PEACE GERMANY'S QUICK CHANGE. TO POPULAR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. ONLY A TRAVESTY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 23, 9.45 a.m. NEW YORK, October 22. Mr Taft, interviewed in Philadelphia, said: "Another German Peace Note has come, but we are no nearer peace. Germany adopted a popular form of government overnight as it were, but where are the Hohenzollerns? Have they surrendered, Who controls Jhe Herman army and navy? It is difficult to be patient with such a travesty at this time. We hope that a reply will be sent closing this chapter of useless negotiations." COMMENT IN AMERICA. ENTIRELY AND ABSOLUTELY UNSATISFACTORY . REPLY REGARDED AS EVASIVE. STILL FROM THE SAME SOURCE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 23. 10.40 a m WASHINGTON, Oct. 21. Unofficial comment on the unofficial text of the German answer points out that two things are clear, namely, that the Note as sent is entirely and absolutely unsatisfactory, or there would have much more stir here upon its receipt. Furthermore, the Note comes from the present German Government. with which the United States has refused to deal, and it is thought that the tone of the Note is evasive. CONSIDERATION IN ENGLAND. NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. THE REPLY A MERE QUIBBLE. NAVAL AND "MILITARY OPINIONS. (Australian and "N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 23, 9.40 a.m. LONDON, October 22. The Cabinet Council has considered the German reply, but as it technically concerns the United States only so far no public announcement has been made. The general impression is that the reply is utterly unsatisfactory and amounts to a mere quibble. It fails to recognise Germany's military defeat, and military men scoff at the idea that the actual standard of power on both sides shall form the basis of an armistice. They point out that the first basis of strategy is to conceal military strength. Naval opinion favours a demand for the surrender of all U-boats prior to an armistice. BRITISH PRESS OPINIONS A DESIRE TO GAIN TIME. THE ENEMY'S FIRST STEP. ON DOWNWARD PATH OF SURRENDER. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 23, 12.40 p.m. LONDON, October 22. Newspapers generally regard Germany's reply as an admitted desire to gain time. It shows no sign that she is ready to accept the Allies' terms, but rather hopes to gain an armistice on the terms of a military status quo. Such an armistice would stop the flow of Americans across the Atlantic, and meanwhile Germany would be recuperating. The Daily Chronicle states: "Dr. Solf's proposal represents one stage along the downward pathway of surrender. which he desires to make gradual. We do not know whether Mr Wilson will continue to interchange Notes by himself or if he will prefer lo associate his Allies with future replies. At any rate he is not likely to be easilv satisfied."

The Daily News says "if Mr Wilson regards the reply as sufficient he will submit to the appeal for an armistice, and the naval military authorities will indicate the guarantees required. These guarantees will furnish a practical test of the sincerity of the demand, and the present power of the military rulers.

The Daily News urges the Allies to he armed for any emergency. It is urgently necessarv to co-ordinate the Entente's political front. It nlso declares that a section of the Press is playing the German game in hinting that the F« vr opean Allies must have their own policy. The Daily Telegraph thinks it is time to end negotiations, which can bear no result while Germany is in her present mood.

MHitarv opinion considers that the reply indicates that the German High Command takes a more optimistic view of the situation of its armies than when the reoaest for an armistice was launch, ed. The retirement so far has not boon disorderly, and the enemy believe l * he has now renehed a line where he will Ik> able to halt temporarily and thus for the time stave off final defeat. Colonel Renington writes that from the British viewnoint the peace guaranl tees must first lie naval and then colonial. We have suffered too much from the enemy's lawlessness and inhumanity at sea to grant an armistice leaving him power to renew his depredations. The dominions will unanimously lefuse to |x-rmit the German flag to reappear in any colonial territory which their arms have conquered.

FRENCH CRITICISM WILFULLY EQUIVOCAL AND TORTUOUS. PRETENDED CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM. (Renter's Telegrams.) Received October 23, 2.25 p.m. PARIS, October 22. Parliamentary circles and the Press regard the German reply as wilfully equivocal and tortuous, especially as regards the armistice. They do not consider that the pretended constitutional reforms afford any guarantee of duration.