PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1918, Page 5

PEACE TALK.

PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY. Autocracy Must Go. Guarantees for Allies' Supremacy No Armistice Whilst Atrocities Continue. Received Oct. 15, 5.5 p.m. • Washington, Oct. 14. President Wilson's reply states: "While Germany approaches the United States with oilers of peace, Germany's submarines continue to sink passenger ships. We cannot expect to agree to an armistice while Germany practises acts of inhumanity, spoliation, and desolation." —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Keoeivcd Oct. 15, 2.30 p.m. Washington, Oct. 14. President Wilson's reply is expected to go immediately to Germany. It states tlhat autocracy must go before final peace comes. No arrangement can be accepted by the United States which does not provide absolutely satisfactory guarantees for the maintenance, of the present supremacy of arras of the United States and Allies.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

Received Oct- 15, 9.30 p.m. Washington, Oct. 14. President Wilson, in his reply, says the unqualified acceptance by the piesent German Government and a large majority of the Reichstag of the terms laid down by the President of the United States in his address to Congress on January 3, 1-018, and subsequent addresses, justifies the President in making a frank direct statement as to his decision with regard to the German communications of the Bth and 12th October.

"It must he thoroughly understood that the process of evacuation and conditions of armistice are matters which must be left to the judgment and advice of the military advisers of the United States and the Government. The President feels it his duty to say no armistice can be accepted by the United States Government which does not provide absolutely satisfactory safeguards and guarantees for the maintenance of the present supremacy of the United States and the Allies in the fieldHe feels confident, that he can safely assume that nothing but this will also he the judgment and decision of the Allied Governments. The President also feels it his dutv to say that neither the United States Government nor the Governments with which it is associated as belligerents will consent to consider an armistice so long as the armed forces of Germany continue thier illegal and inhumane practices in which they still persist. At the very time at which the German Government approached the United States with proposals for peace, its submarines are engaged in sinking passenger ships at. sea, and, not ships alone, but the very boats in which passengers and crew seek to make their Way to safety, and in the present enforced withdrawal from Flanders and France the German armies are pursung a course of destruction which always has licen regarded as a direct violation of tho rules ajid practices of civilised warfare..

Cities and villages, if not destroyed, are stripped of everything they contain. •Even the inhabitants of the nations associated against Germany cannot be expected to agree to a cessation of arms while acts of inhumanity, spoliation, and desolation are being continued, which they justly look upon with burning hearts.

The President's words that autocracy must cease constitute a condition precedent to peace. If peace is to come by the action of the Genr.an Government itself, the President feels bound to say that the whole process of peace will depend, in his judgment, upon the dfffiniteness and satisfactory character of the guarantees which can be given. In respect to this fundamental matter, it is indispensable that the Governments associated against Germany should know ■beyond peradventure with whom they are dealingPresident Wilson will make Austria, a separate reply.—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assoc. New York, Oct. 14.

Colonel Roosevelt , says that to begin negotiations after pronouncing that we would not submit to a negotiated peace would be bad faith with ourselves and orir allies. If negotiations aTc repudiated our enemies will be able to repudiate American good faith.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

THE ONLY PEACE POSSIBLE. SIR ERIC GEDDES' WARNING. Received Oct. 15, 11 pm. New York, Oct. 14. Sir Eric Goddes, in a ppeech, said: "Despite the present political situation between tho Allies and the Cential Powers, Britain is unchanged in her absolute loyalty to those nations associated with her. Britain is determined to continue the war and not be diverted 'from her purpose luiLl the Allies have secured the only peace whbh could justify all our terrible sufferings caused ;by"the: iniquity of Germany. We must 'not relax the muscles of our fighting arm, nor our wa.r efforts in any antici'pation. of' an early peace. "If ("Germany had had command of the "esaiin MM, sheTVouhl have won the war frn T9T4. We-must not assume that Ger-•manv'is-beaten. We must not take for ;;granted-the safety of our sea-line communication. Wc have command of the ■sea and -wo must hold that command-" —Aus.-N Z. Cable 'As&oa.