GERMANY ASKS THE ALLIES FOR PEACE

GERMANY, pretending now to have a ‘people’s government,’ has asked for an armistice and the opening of peace negotiations on the basis of American President Woodrow Wilson’s demands.

Prince Maximilian of Baden, the new German Chancellor, told the Reichstag that on the night of October 4 he sent a note through Switzerland to President Wilson, asking him to take up the question of bringing about peace and to communicate with the combatants to this end.

Nothing will be done officially by the Allies until the Notes (which Austria and Turkey are also sending) are received. However, the Daily Mail understands that peace proposals will not be considered while the Kaiser remains on the throne.

RELIGIOUS MANIA

The Kaiser’s own position appears to be growing more precarious. One writer in The Hague, who has connections to Germany, says: ‘ It is particularly noticeable that, according to trustworthy sources, the panic in Germany has its origin in the royal family, and notwithstanding the democratic soothing syrup given to the population, continues in increasing measure.

‘It is said that the Kaiser has fallen into a kind of religious mania. He remains kneeling for hours in prayer. He prays for his dynasty and his crown.

‘This state of things first became fully evident by an event in Main Headquarters some weeks ago. Foch’s victorious advance caused a conflict between the Kaiser on one side and the Crown Prince and Ludendorff, the commander of German military forces, on the other.

‘The Supreme War Lord took no measures in connection with the defeat, but exclaimed, laughing bitterly, “That is the merited reward of the booby and his advisers!”

‘ With reference to the Kaiser, they frequently say in Germany now, “There comes the shadow of Tsar Nicholas [forced to abdicate in March 1917].” When, a few days ago, the Kaiser visited the Chancellor’s official residence in connection with a Crown Council, no one saluted him.

‘Four workmen of a Borger factory were arrested for distributing anti- Hohenzollern literature. The crowd witnessed the arrest silently. Not a word was uttered against the four men!’

Meanwhile, the German army in the west is crumbling, extending its retreats, losing one railway junction after another, and being rapidly driven from valuable territory which it had seized. Our Army and those of our allies have secured a series of victories in recent weeks.

Prince Max contends that under his government, Germany now has ministers responsible to the Reichstag and representative of the people, and that this should satisfy Mr Wilson, who has repeatedly made clear he will not enter into peace dealings with the Kaiser or his representatives.

The British Government has said it cannot usefully offer any comment until the proposals have been formally received.

Yesterday, a representative of the Daily Mail gathered that the attitude of the Foreign Office can be summarised as follows: ‘Developments in Germany must be watched in the light of what the Germans are going to do and not of what they are promising to do. In thus epitomising the British view of the Chancellor’s speech, one is merely paraphrasing what President Wilson said on September 27 — that professions are of no use to him; he must have actual performances.

‘If the Germans and their confederates think they are going to get an armistice before preliminary peace negotiations, it seems safe to anticipate that they will receive from President Wilson the kind of rejoinder they do not desire, but one in which the Allies will most heartily concur.’

BURGLARISED SOIL

A competent American view in London last night was as follows: ‘The new German Chancellor, and apparently Austria-Hungary as well, is anxious for negotiations on the basis of Mr. Wilson’s Fourteen Points. The Germans have overlooked that since then the President has laid down a 15th point. That point is his insistence upon guarantees that Germany will adhere to any peace condition to which her negotiators might eventually agree.

‘The President’s 15th point, in plain words, means that no terms will be considered by the United States that are not guaranteed by a non-Hohenzollern, non-militaristic regime. There is no trace of these guarantees in Prince Max’s speech.

‘Until they are forthcoming it seems safe to anticipate that President Wilson’s attitude toward the latest proposals will be one of uncompromising disdain.

‘He will certainly have no traffic with a Germany still pleading for peace from burglarised soil.’