AMERICAN COMMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1918, Page 7

AMERICAN COMMENT.

WASHINGTON PUZZLED, New York, Oct, 23, Tho Washington correspondent of the New York Times says that Swiss officials announce that the German Note will not bo delivered until Wednesday. The official text will clear up certain oifseure passages in the wireless version.

It is pointed out that, as thero is only troopship transport on the high seas, the German order to stop sinking passenger ships is of little consequence. President Wilson is in conference with the Cabinet to-day. Generally speaking the German note puzzles Washington. Some think it a clumsy effort to tell the world that the Germans are really reforming their Government, without admitting it in so many words. Others think it is an attempt to continue the negotiations in the hope that President Wilson will be induced to be more merciful in imposing terras. Representatives of the Czeclio-Slov-aks, Lithuanians, Roumanians, Jugoslavs, Ukrainians, Poles and the unredeemed Italians will draft declarations of independence in the historic Independence Hall, Philadelphia. It is estimated that 65 million of the people of mid-Europe are affected.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN SUBTLETY. ' AMERICANS SEE THROUGH IT. Received Oct. 24, 2.45 p.m. Washington, Oct. 23. The Swiss Charge d'Affaires, M. Oederlin, submitted the official text of the 1 German note to Mr. Lansing at ill o'clock this morning. It is expected that M. Oederlin wil not assume responsibility for the translation of the text from German because of the subtlety of Dr. Solf's words. The American Government will use its own staff to translate the German text into English.

A cursory reading of the official text shows that it is practicaly identical with the wirelessed text.

Some quarters believe the difficulty in determining the exact meaning of certain passages is due to deliberate shuffling by tho German Government in order to obscure the meaning. It ia considered that the Kaiser's retention of power to make war in the event of invasion of Germany defeats the entire purpose of the proposed Reichstag reform. It is pointed out that the Kaiser would be tho judge of what constituted invasion, and he would retain practically all the war-making powers. Public opinion is firmly crystalising into a determination that the note should be refused.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT WILSON. Washington, Oct, 23. On receiving the official text of the German note, President Wilson says that the only question for immediate decision is whether there will be any discussion of the terms of evacuation.—Aus. Cable Association. UNIFYING THE ALLIES. London, Oct. 23. Lord NorthclifTe, in a speech at the American Officers' Club, gaid the first German peace offensive had yielded an inestimable boon by unifying the Entente's military command. The present peace offensive will prove a blessing if it resulted in the Entente's united peace programme being carefully poordinated between the Governments of the associated Powers.—Aus. N.Z, Cable Assoc.