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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 1918)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. AUTOCRACY 1ST GO, SAYS WILSON PRESIDENT'S REPLY TO PEACE PLEA DOOM TO KAISERISM. SURRENDER THE ONLY COURSE No Truce to Be Thought of So Long As Atrocities On Land and Sea Continue Army Chief to Dictate Its Terms. Wellington. Tbo following Is the full text of President Wilson's noto to Germany, refuging her plm to enter Into an armistice and which, It Ih be lieved In olllclnJ circles here, ends for all times the eneiny'fl chance to se curo peace by negotiations: "Sir: In reply to tho communication of the German government dated the 32th Instant, which you handed mo to day, I have the honor to request you to transmit the following answer : "Tho unqualified acceptance by tho present German government and by n large majority of the relchstng of the terms laid down by tho president of the United States of America In his address to the congress of tho United States on the 8th of January, 1018, nnd in his subsequent addresses Justi fies tho president In making a frank and direct statement of his decision with regard to the communications of tho German government of tho 8th and 32th of October, 1018. "It must be clearly understood that tho procesa of evacuation and tho conditions of an armistice arc matters which must be loft to tho Judgment nnd advice of tho military advisers of tho government of the United States nnd the allied governments, and the, president feels It his duty to say that no arrangement can bo accepted by the government of tho United States which does not provldo absolutely sat isfactory safeguards and guarantees of the maintenance of the present military supremacy of the- armies of tho United States nnd tho nlllcs In the Held. "Ho feels confident that ho can safely nBsume that this will also bo tho Judgment nnd decision of tho al lied governments. "Tho president fools Hint It Is also his duty to add that neither the gov ernment of tho United States, nor, ho Is quite sure, tho governments with which the government of tho United Stntcs Is tiKsoclatod nn a belligerent will consent to consider nn armistice so long an the nrrnod forces of Ger many continue the Illegal and Inhu mane prnctlccs which thoy still per sist in. "At the very time that tho German government approaches tho govern ment of the United Stntes with pro posals of peace Its submarines aro en gaged In sinking passenger ships nt en nnd not tho ships nlone. but tho very boats In which their passengers nnd crews seek to mnke their wny to safety; nnd In their present enforced withdrawal from Flanders and France the Gorman armies nro pursuing a cor.TBO of wnnton destruction which has always been regarded as In dlreet violation of the rules and practices of civilized wnrfare. "Cities and villages. If not destroy fd, nro being stripped of all they con tain not only, but often of their very Inbahltants. Tho nations associated ngnlnst Germany cannot be expected to ngrro to a cessation of arms whllo acts of Inhumanity and desolation are being continued which they Justly took upon with horror and with burn Ing hearts. "It Is necessary, also In order that there may bo no possibility of idIhuh lerstnndlng that tho president should rery solemnly call the attention of the rovcrnmont of Germany to tho Inn cuago and plain Intent of one of the terms of pence which the German covernment has now accepted. It Is rontnlned In tho nddress of the prcsl nem ucnvercii nt Mount vernon on the Fourth of July last. "It Is as follows: 'The destruction Dt every arbitrary power anywhoro thnt can separately, secretly and of Its Ingle choice disturb tho ponce of the world; or, If It cannot bo presently de itroyed, nt least Its reduction to vlr- tunl lmpotoncy.' "The powor which has hitherto con trolled the German nation Is of the tort hero described. It Is within the choice of tho German nntlon to alter It. Tho president's words Just quoted naturally constitute a condition pre. redont to pence. Tho president feels bound to snythiit tho whole process f pence will, In hia Judgment, depend inon tho deflnlteness nnd tho satisfac To Meet U-Boat Campaign. Wnshlngton. American ship build rs have been called upon by Secre tary Daniels to spoed up their output f destroyers to meet tho menace of mo new nud greotor submarine ef fort which Germany Is known to bo planning. The secretary began a se rles of conferences with representa tives of tho builders. Most of tho plnnts nro working now nonrly to cn pnclty and arrangements were made to lay down iih many additional ves sels as possible Secretary Dunlels tory character of the guarantee!" which can be given la this funda mental matter. It Is Indesponslblo that the govern- ment associated against Germany should know beyond a peradventiiro with whom they aro dealing. 'Tho president will make n separata reply to the royal and Imperial gov ernment of Austria-Hungary. "Accept, sir, the renewed assuranc of my high consideration. (Signed) "ItOBEIlT LANSING." Mr. Frederick Oederlln, Charge d'affaires, ad Interim. In charge of German Interests In tho United States. Tim reply not only fulfills tho ex- poctatlons of supporters of diplomacy, but also dispels tho fenrs of those who predicted he would subslltuto letorlcs nt arms with defeats nt di plomacy. No peace with kiilserlsm. autocracy must go; no armistice can even be thought of while Gormony continues her ntrocltles on land and sen; one cannot be considered unless It fully Is dictated by tho allied commanders n tho Held In such terms as absolutely provldo safegunrds and guarantees that Germany's part will not be a scrap of paper this In a few words Is the president's answer. If It does not bring a capitulation which may bo more than an uncon ditional surrender, allied diplomats and American officials hellovn It may cause n revolution In Germany. Beyond question It speaks for the entente as well as the United States. Ono outstanding point which does not appear In tho president's note- point on which the world has been asking questions, can now bo answer ed. When tho president declared that the wrong dono to France when Gor iniiny took Alsace-Lorraine should be Ightcd, ho meant that Alsncc-Lor-ulne should bo returned to France. Those who contend tho president's decision urrnngCH tho situation for something inoro than an uncondition al surrender, base It on tho argument that ho has now passed the stage whero he might have accepted a sur- renucr or tno uorman military anil unvnl forces and left the Ilohenzollern autocracy on Its tltrono. Mr. Wilson, according to this view, has now finally informed the German peoplu that If they want pence they an only attain It by getting rid of he kaiser and his system. An armis tice, it is tmo, might come first and tlio details of the downfall of the German nutocratlc government might bo arranged later. Hut, this Is what nn armistice would entail: First: A stop to the utrocltlos on Innd nnd sea und the systematic de struction and devastation In tho wako pf tho rolrentlng German armies. Second: The disarmament of all tho German forces and tho deposit of their arms and munitions ut points to bo chosen by the allied military commndcrs. Third: Tho occupation by allied forces of certain German cities or strongholds of strategic Importance. Probably also the occupation of all tho submarine bases, n turning over of tho Germnn fleet. In short, It would entail a taking from Germany of everything with which sho might break her word to an armistice. It will be noted thnt the president completely rejects tho Germnn sug gestion for n mixed commission to arrange for an evacuation and re minds the militarists thnt they will accept the terms lnld down by Mar- slml Foch and the associated com manders; that they will have no part In framing them. lie makes It plain ho does not accept tho now Germnn government headed by Chnncellor Maxlmllllnn as anything less nuthentlc, anything less a creature of German militarism than Its predecessors, and warns the German people that unless they destroy It tho allied armies wll! do so. Allies Indorse Reply. London. Andrew Bonnr I.nw. gov eminent spokesman In the House of Commons, made :iu announcement In parliament that It would be very tin wise for nny of (he nllled govern incntH to make any statement on tho terms to be Imposed on Germany be fore nn nrmlstlce wns granted. Win stmt Spencer Churchill, British mln Ister of munition's. In n speech nt Manchester, said that President Wll son's stem and formidable answer to Germany Is wholeheartedly, endorsee' by all tho allied countries. The nn swer. Mr. Churchill declnred, tended to prolong the conflict. has but there would bo no relaxation of the allied war efforts. Reply Pleasing to French. Paris. President Wilson's reply to Germany received unqualified indorse ment by the press here. The tone of tho sentiment was distinctly favorable to tho reply, the prevailing note being one of Jubilation. The president's firm position ngnlnst an armlstlco without guarantees particularly op pealed to prevailing French opinion has let It bo known that successful trials of Englo No. 1, the now subma rine fighter nnd chaser, have boon hold with results In every way bettor thnn nnd been untlclpnted. In speed, the Knglo bont wan Hnld to bo the oqnnl In every respect of the destroy- er of n few years ago nnd to excel It In sen-going quality. Production, which hnB been contingent upon trials, now will proceed, and Mr. Daniels In dicated that the Ford plant building tho Eaghs will ruuch tho peak of Its schedule early next year. I- British gunners operating capt red guns that have been turned o the fleeing enemy In Flanders. 2 American troops "on their way to Berlin," passing a signpost that marks the border between Franco and Alsnce. !(- Inflating some of the small balloof - used by the allies to send truth-telling propaganda over the Hun lines. NEWS REVIEW OF THE GREAT WAR Germany, Admittedly Defeated, Is Now Squirming to Pre vent Utter Disaster. GREAT CIVIL UPHEAVAL ON ustrla and Turkey Ready to Quit Huns, Forced by Allies, Begin Gen eral Retreat From Belgium Still Resisting Fiercely In Champagne. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. Squirming, dodging, walling, the uormnn Imperial government seemed last week to be on Its last leg. Thick and fast came the rumors of uncon ditional surrender and of the abdica tion of the kaiser, and though these were unconfirmed or contradicted as fast as they came out, enough au thentic news seeped through the veil of secrecy to show that things were In a desperate state In Germany. Its pence trap was sprung harmlessly by President Wilson when, In reply to what at first glance looked like full acceptance of his terms, ho told the government flatly that only absolute capitulation would be considered and that the allies would not listen at all while the Huns occupied allied terri tory and contlrlued to perpetrate out rages on land nnd sea. Any persons who may have had doubts concerning tin firmness of the president's will nnd purpose were Joyfully reassured, and the answer created consternation In Berlin. The German press admitted that It was a great blow to their rising hopes of peace, and the ruling minds of the empire .began to try to find some other way or escape nom ine ('esperato situation. As a preliminary, some democratizing amendments to the constitution were adopted or pro posed, notably ono taking from the emperor the right to declare war. The power or the Junkers was sapped, to gether with that of their war lord. There was, Indeed, evidence that a civil upheaval of extraordinary pro portions was beginning which, even more than the great military reverses, would bring on a debacle for Germany. The governments, the lighting forces and the civilian peoples of all the al lied nations made It absolutely plain that Germany could not obtain the "pence without humiliation" which It Ik seeking. Nowhere among them Is found any sentiment of pity for either the brutal soldiery that has ravished the earth or tho people who have sup ported anil rejoiced over the Inhu manity of the nrmed forces. The de mand for exact Justice Is universal outside the hinds of the offenders. It would not. be In the least surprising If the prediction made In these columns many months ago were fulfilled, name ly, that one of the conditions of ponce will be that Germany surrender the kaiser anil other Instigators nnd per petrators of frlghtfulness for personal punishment. With this sprit prevail ing among the now victorious allies, what chance has Germany for pence without humiliation? The abdication of the kaiser, which nfter all would be but Incidental, was considered likely, and It was reported Hint he Intended to step down In favor of Prince William Frederick, oldest son of the crown prince, who Is only twelve years old. fc-- President Wilson delayed his reply to the peace proposals of Austria-Hungary and Turkey, probnbly In order thnt the truth about their hopeless sit uation might sonk Into their minds, and reports showed they were realiz ing the facts and beginning to act ac cordingly. Tho break-up of the dual kingdom became more Imminent, the Hungarians openly declaring their In tendon to separate from Austria, tho Poles, Croats and Bohemians boldly com ing out for Independence. The govern ment made despairing plans to hold the empire together In the form of a I confederation of the various nationali ties, but this did not seem to Interest 'a i peoples whe have suttVred so long under Austrian domination. Baron 1'iiilan, admitting the central power no longer had a chance of achieving, a military decision, plastered President llson with flattery, declaring that Ms humanitarian policies wore fully iK-cepteil by Austria-Hungary-Halt was taken for granted that Tur key, under the leadership of Izzct I'asha, the new grand vizier, wns nbout ready to make a separate peace. In, the effort to hold her In line, the Germnn Black sea fleet was sent to Constantinople and the government was warned that the first step toward breaking away from the alllnncc with Gcrmnny would be tho slgtinl for a bombardment of the city. Despite the presenco of tho warships, 20 In num ber, a revolution broke out in Con stantinople against tho Young Turks, whoso power had not been wholly broken by the chnnge In cnblnct. JB& Koumanla, which has been frankly looking for a chance to get Into tho war again, may havo the opportunity very soon. Already the inhabitants of the northern pnrt of the country, in the province of Moldavia, have risen in armed revolt against the Austro German forces of occupation. Ha On the western bnttle front the gioat event of the week wns the Mimshlng drive of the allies in Flan ders by which In a few days the, Bel gian seaports hold by the Huns were practically cut off and the Germans wore forced back rapidly almost to the Dutch frontier. This drive, made mostly by the British and Belgians, was directed toward Bruges and Client. In quick succession Roulers, Menln, Leiulclede and- other towns were captured; Wednesday night the British occupied CourtrnI, and on Thursday the city of Lille was taken by them. The Belgians took Thourout, and moved ahead rapidly to Bruges, which they occupied with little oppo sition. At the same time the British were entering Ostend, and a few hours later King Albert and Queen Elizabeth were In that famous town which for years bad been one of the chief U-boat bases of the Huns, Zeo l.rugge, also, It was said, was being evacuated as fast as possible, and the Germans In the strip of Belgium be tween Bruges and the Holland border were making strenuous efforts to get out of the bottle neck. There was only one practicable road for them, and that was under the constant fire from the Belgian batteries. Having given up Lille, which thoy did not destroy, according to new or ders from the army command, the Huns were next forced to get out of Douiil. and the process of flattening out the salient proceeded merrily. It appeared likely the Germans would continue their retirement until they were on the line Antworp-Xnmur- Mezloros-Motz. This, of course, meant n tremendous retreat on a very wide front anil would not be at all easy of accomplishment while Marshal Foch was unrelentingly hammering at them In every sector. From the coast t(. La Cateau the withdrawal was be ing carried on so rapidly that at this writing no adequate guess could be made as to Its full extent. The aban donment of the Belgian coast by the Huns meant that allied commerce wns freed In great pnrt from the U-bont peril and that air raids on England could no longer be carried out with ease. The allies captured vast stores und many heavy guns In Belgium. no nliving forced the Huns out of Lnon and La Fere, the French maintained n steady pressure on both sides of the waning salient there, making progress that was continuous, though not rapid because of the Increased resistance of the enemy. As tho Hundlng line of refuge was approached. In the region of Bethel, an Important Germnn rail way supply station on the Alsne, It be cntne apparent that the Huns Intended to try to hold thnt line for a time. From Bethel nlmost to Verdun the French nnd American armies fought continuously, driving the Germans back across the Grand Pre-Vouzleres road and up both sides of tho Mouse. The Yankees took Grand Pre, on the northern bank of the Alro river north of the Argonno forest, through which thev had fought their way so bravely and doggedly. The place, though but ii small village. Is of great strategic Importance, being the Junction of the j railways feeding a large pnrt of the German armies. Immense numbers of machine guns, with some artillery, con stituted most of Hie Hun resistance In tills region. Such counter-uttacks by infnntry as were made were rather feeble and easily beaten off. The defense In general, however, wns powerful, and it is evident thnt the German commnnd attaches great Importance to holding back the Amer icans as much as possible in the Ver dun region. Every foot gained hero by the allies weakens the hold of tho Germans on the Invaluable coal and Iron fields of the Brley bnsln northeast of Verdun. It looks ns though tho Germans were reconciled to retiring from Belgium and France, but would hang- on to tho Brley fields to the last moment. Such u course would be Jus tified by their greatly depleted stores of ninterlal. They aro running short especially of metnl for guns nnd am munition. Ha iti Italy, the Austrians have been attempting very little of lnte, probn bly because they hope soon to he out of the war; but In Albania nnd Serbia the allies are keeping them on tho jump.. Italians, Serbs, French, Brit ish and Greeks nil are taking whacks at them, and nt Inst reports they had loon driven far north of Nlsh, which was captured by tho Serbs, to whom P. belongs, in Albania tho Austrlnns evacuated their great naval base of Durazzo, which had been largely de stroyed by a nnval raid the picxious week. a Little news came from General Al lenby's army In Palestine, which prob i bly was resting nfter Its gnllnnt nnd successful campaign against the Turks But word wns received thnt Beirut, the Turkish bnse on tho Mediterrane an, had been captured, following which Baalbek Tripoli and IIobih were oc cupied. t Bolshevik forces In eastern Itussln havo been greatly strengthened of late and are reported to bo pressing bnck the Czeeho-Slovnk troops there. The latter have appealed for help from tho allies, and It may lie that troops from the Siberian expedition have been sent to their relief. Menntlme the allied forces In north Itussln, Including considerable American contingent, aro fighting their way along both banks of the Dvlnn In the direction of Welsk, northenst of Vologda. Their progress hns been difficult, for the bolshevlkl have been making henvy attacks and keeping the expedition under almost constant bombnrdment. On the river the enemy has gunboats, protected by nine fields nnd small Islands, and the shells from these do considerable dam age. Jtie ames. nowever are getting along fairly well there and are confl dent and cheerful. Lenlne and Trotzky are reported to have had a vloleut quarrel, the pre mler having accused the foreign mln Ister of fostering a counter-revolution Lenlne again has been attacked by an assassin, this time being shot In the shoulder. The Finns seem to be getting them selves Into a peculiar position. First they elected ns their King Prince Fred crick Charles of Hesse, brother-in-law ol the kaiser, whereupon France broko off the seml-ofllclal relations that had existed with Flnlnnd. Next the Finns formally requested Germany to with draw all her troops from their conn try. The substitution of a monarchy for a republic was really the work o the Finnish diet, not of the people, and It may not stand. Ml John D. Hynn. director of the Amer ican air service, on his return from Europe, made the welcome announce ment that unification of operation and to a great extent of prodm-Mou o aircraft, had been ngreed upon by the allies. He also told of the splendid work of tho American aviators and o the success and popularity of the American De navlland planes and th Liberty motors. Another cheerful piece of news concerning aeronautic: was disclosed by MaJ. A. ('ashman Bice, this being that the allies bad worked out a practically perfected wireless telephone device which will enable the allied airmen to fly nvo tin Germnn lines and territory in im mouse lleets, all the planes directed by the voice of the commander. This he says, will sweep the Huns ii.u the sky aiid entirely put u' 'I e i cf their artillery 4TH LOAN PUT OVER AMERICANS AGAIN "DIG UP" TO TO CARRY ON THE WAR. AUSTRIA'S PLEA IS REJECTED President Informs Hapsburg Regimo That Suppressed Nations Must Bo Granted Independence. Washington, D. C, Oct. 22. When all subscriptions uro tabulated trour ury officials aro confident that tlxs fourth Liberty loan will show u sub stantial oversubscription. While u official figure litis yet been given out It appears that again the American peo plu havo given not only what was asked, but more In order that the war against Germuny nnd her allies may be carried to a successful conclusion. Indications uro that the number of Individual subscriptions will exceed 25,000,000 and break all records for distribution of war bonds for either this nation or any other. How far the total will run above lb $0,000,000,000 goal officials would not attempt to estimate. Since the United Stutes entered th war all loans have been oversui scrlbed. Tho first loan was for $2,000, 000,000 and there wns $ 1,000,000,000 oversubscription, but none of thin oversubscription was accepted. The second loan was for $3,000,000,- 000; subscriptions amounted to $4,- 017,000,000, and the government took only hnlf the oversubscriptions, mak ing the total actually paid of $3,808.- 000,000. The third loan was for $8, 000,000,000 and subscriptions amount ed to $4,170,000,00, all of which u taken. Wilson Replies to Austria. Washington. D. C, Oct. 22. PretJ- dent Wilson has rejected the plea eC Austria-Hungary for an armlstlco and peace negotiations, and In doing e hns mnde clearer the conditions which the central powers must meet to end tho war. The president's note to tho Vienna government says there can b no talk of peace with tho Anstro-llua- garlan government except upon Oi basis of complete liberty for Czecho slovaks and other subject nationali ties as free members of tho family or nations. He refuses to entertain the ustro-HungarIan suggostlons for this reason, without discussing the mili tary questions dealt with In the reply to Germany. Huns Driven Into Holland. London, Oct. 22. Northern Belgimn Is being rapidly cleared of the enemv by British and Belgian forces. Bel gians havo occupied Zcebrugge and Heyst; have crossed thrj Ghent Bruges canal, and on their left have reached tho Dutch frontier, where 15,000 Germnns. cut off from their re treat by the advance northward from Eecloo, have withdrawn into Holland, where they were Interned. Since the beginning of tho opera tions In Flanders the allies have made an advnnco of more than thirty mile over a thlrty-six-mlle front, clearing all of western FInnders, as well ns the coast, of the enemy. Germans Headed for Home. With the Allied Armies in Fmuce and Belgium, Oct. 22. Reliable Infor mation received from tbo German side of the line indicates that the German retreat will carry the enemy back many miles, If not all the way to Ger many itself. Many prisoners captured on different parts of the lino declare Belgium and France are In process f evacuation. Guns from the Belgian coast are known to have reached Antwerp, but It Is not certain whether they have gone beyond thnt city. Air material has been transferred from Ghent t Brussels. Yanks Face Huge Foe Army. Washington, D. C, Oct. 22. Amer ican troops between Argonne forest and the Mouse river face 250.000 Ger mans on a tliirty-five-niile front, mem bers of the senate military committee said they were told by tho war de partment. On this front the stiff est Germnn resistance Is being put up. Committee members said thoy were fold not to put too much credence in reports thnt tho German military ma chine is near collapse. Brussels Being Evactuated Amsterdam, Oct. 22.--Evacuation of Brussels by the German troops has a ready begun according to a statement made by M. Helnrlcli, n Belgian dep uty, to a correspondent at Itosendaal on the Dutch frontier. The corre spondent reports that Helnrlcli him self has already returned to Brussels. Makers of Sweets Hard Hit. Washington, D. C., Oct. 22. Ite strictlons on the use of sugar during November and December have beca announced by the food administration. Sugar nllotmcnts for household us will bo held strictly to two pounds a person each month. Practically alt manufacturers of beverage syrups, chewing gum. chocolate, malted milk, cocoa, table syrups and molasses, sod water and artificial honey will lie cut to .10 per cent of the average monthly use from July 1 to December !J1. IDltT, and Mie eir 1017 oi il.iui i