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"V :N' : DQN'TLET, THE: HUN PEAcyTL ; ; :r:T ::v''7"A;f;' .y The Weather. Complete Service f " --of the::i;' Associated JPress : H Fair and cooler Monday, Tuesday fair. - ... ..." FOTNDE VOL. CI-NO. 386. WILMINGTON, ST. C MONDAirrMpKyG, OCTOBER 14, 1918 WHOLE NXJMBJ5B 39,564 1CA T TM. BE NO " " ',. . . ' 1 -, - v . , '. " r- - : ' 1 4 . 1 1 ' 1,1 - y i ARE 1 m v v " " - " j ",.' PRESIDENT IS NOT BOUND IN TO ACCEPT PROFFER In His Note to Germany He Proposed Nothing, Merely Asking Questions. jsEW STROKE PROBABI4E May Mean Unconditional Sur render and Possibly Over throw of Kaiser. IS NO OFFICIAL COMMENT Official Text of Germany's Re ply Not Received. Washington, Oct. 13. The government asks the American people to withhold their judg ment on Germany's note until President Wilson has received the offiical communication and has had opportunity to consid er it. The official document had not been received in Washington to night when the president re turned from New York. It prob ably will be here tomorrow when the president confers with his advisers, among them Secretary Baker, who returned today frotn tne western battle front, un doubtedly prepared to give him some inside information on the broken condition of the-German military power, of which the world necessarily does notrimow at this time. -' ' - , Tonight, as last night, no official of the government felt justified in. speak ing to guide public opinion in the di rection of the views which are being formed. The Associated PresB is enabled to say, however, that these views rapidly are crystalizing and the next step will be taken promptly, probably sooner than may be expected. President Wilson is expected to first decide if Foreign. Secretary Solf's reply to the inquiries addressed to Chan cellor Maximilian warrant him in pre senting Germany's original proposal to the entente allies. It should be borne in mind that the president's in quiry merely was a move ad interim in which he proposed nothing, bound himself to nothing and merely" asked some questions which he declared re- Qu;red an answer before he could sro further. If he puts the proposition before the entente it undoubtedly will draw a quick reply. Dispatches last night irom London quoting the' London Ex press as announcing that the British, French and Italian government had reached a unanimous decision for. a l!ne of owssmon action were regarded as being deeply significant. ' Lacking official e-uidance on which to base a prediction, observers are forced to record indications. The indications are that there will be n armistice and that if the entente allies were dis posed to agree to one they probably wouid demand as guarantees of good faith that such places at Metz, Strass burg, Triest and possibly Essen be P!aced in the hands of the entente forces to guarantee fullfilment of Ger Zany's words. ff Germany exrje.cta that bv agreeing f the evacuation of occupied terri tories she will evact the evacuation of German colonies occupied by entente forces, German statesmen have made another mistake. Reference to Presi dent Wilson's inquiry shows he spoke distinctly in reference to invaded ter ritory occupied by troops of the cen lral powers. . When the American capital recovered lts balance after theStirprise of Sec retary Solf's note, it found its unof ncial opinion divided Into two distinct lines. One, shared largely by the republi cans in congress, is inclined to the view t.:at Senator Lodge's predication of a 'tu.'tion which may threaten the 'sub-s-lfution of the deliberations of . i P'Omaoy for victories at arms, has been IUl'fillod. . - The other, confidence irirthe' snccess c'- President Wilson's diplomacy and Probably forming its conclusions from knowledge of what the govern - Hent i nlanninn- nfaln that tL President has created a situation nere lie nn- deliver another stroke which will bring about an un Hitionai surrender or throw the and the German militarists com-l -e,y out n f anv nnvr ih mav r A - - There :s a general feeling . that the "est m(ve will nfrotttbeiitfmwUbnll& d -with th0 cholo-o such an un- ANY WAY GERMANY'S REPLY DOES HOT IMPRESS PARIS VERY MUCH Papers Pay More Attention to Military Successes Than Peace Talk. SUSPICIOUS OF BERLIN Government Still Responsible to Kaiser As Well As to the People. Paris, Oct. 13. The Paris newspa pers do not seem to enthuse over the German reply to President Wilson's note. More space is given to the news of the military successes won by the allies then to discussion of the German document. , In popular discussion the suspicion persists that Germany is evading the issue In some respects, at least the feeling: being: that she has not .gone far enough. It is pointed out that the German constitution is as' yet un changed, and that if it may be said the government is 'responsible to the people it is likewise responsible to the emperor. The reply of the German government to President Wilson's questions is con sidered here to indicate that Germany's diplomatic front is as flexible as her military front. Some commentators find. -th ; reply so worded as. to show the hope "of the Germans that fit' will result in cleav age between the allies. Gen. La Croix, in the Temps, says: "BermMT'li ar.cent an rp nt 'President Wilson's conditions is an avowal j of defeat, Foch is the sole judge from, the military point of view and will know how to exact the necessary guar antees from the enemy and what ter ritorial evacuations must be imposed." Almost all the papers print similar views. , In addition to recalling Bismarck's ruthless method in the 1S71 armistice, it is pointed out by some of the news papers that wljen the Germans in 1914 sought to .secure France's neutrality Germany was not willing to, accept France's word but demanded to be per mitted to occupy Toul an Verdun as a guarantee. GERMAN CONSERVATIVES ARE OPPOSED TO EVACUATION Basel, Switzerland, Oct. 13. A dis patch received here from Berlin says the conservative party in the German reienstag. has published the following declaration concerning the German re ply to President Wilson's questions: "Our armies ' are still far in enemy country. Before any honorable peace and the integrity of the empire's ter ritory, Is" guaranteed all abandonment of occupied soil may be fatal and is irreconcilable with German, honor. "Numerous patriotic societies atwalt with us a declaration from the German government saying it will not yield upon these freints. The German people are resolved to defend the sacred soil of their country to the last man." GERMAN REPLY SUBMITTED TO THREE DIFFERENT BODIES Copenhagen, Oct. 13. The German reply to President Wilson was received by telegraph here without introduc tion or comment. From German news papers, however, it appears that the answer was not only submitted to the reichstag, but also to the committee on fpreigh affairs of the federal council. Prussia has mo representative on this committee. AUSTRIAN PRESS SUSPICIOUS OF GERMANY'S MOTIVES Geneva, OctC 13. The tenor of the German Dress is quite optimistic as1 compared with the Austrian, which considers that Germany is working for her Own salvation and seeking- a sepa rate peace through the United States in order to protect her own interests, Turkey not being officially at war with America. . WORD "IMPERIAL" WAS NOT USED , IN GERMANY'S NOTE London, Oct. lZ.-One of the most significant -points In Germany's reply to President Wilson is that it Js the first important German diplomatic com munication ,sirice "; the German ; empire was proclaimed at Versailles in -1871 which, has hot-spoken in the . name of the imperial German government. - "The German government" is an ab solutely new phtase, and the omission of the Word .Jf'imperial" is unprece dented. Whether that means cater ing to President Wilson's views ; or whether it means qhange in Germany remains to be . Been. ' A .:, v '' ; BRITISH FSOREIGN OFFICE GETS - TEXT fOP ' THE NOTE -London, Oct; 13i The text of the Gertnkn reply f' to . President Wilson's note reached the British, foreign office hfa . vdarninarVfrom the British mlnis- teis.at' The v Hague. Foreign Secretary BajfQur and. Andrew Bonar-Law, the .f.w with it to confer, with -Pre mlerJ4oyrOeorgre, .wWho, is.siendias ACNS wuSn Si ( V A V pXftfsv . u: to ur so :.';r '-A . -j . ' V!Vk - o so 40 ' , Foch is ceaselessy beating down the enemy on a rough half circle 200 miles in length extending from Lens to Ver dum. The Germans are in flight on three-quarters of this front from Lens to Rheims. Before the Anglo-Ameri ALUED THRUSTS CONTINUE TO BEND BACK THE GERMAN LINES Enemy in Retreat Almost Every Where on the Long Front In France. BUT IS STILL ORDERLY Highly Important Strategic Po sition Taken by British and French. THE AMERICANS PUSH ON Nish Has Been Re-Captured By the Serbians. (By The Associated Preee.) ' The German battle line in "France continues to bend under the attacks of the entente allies. But nowhere has it been broken. The enemy al most everywhere is in retreat toward new positions. But his retreat js ord erly and the British, French and Am ericans are being compelled to fight their way forward slowly in the face of enemy machine gun detachments acting as rear guards. Highly important strategic -positions have been .wrested from the enemy by the British and French while on their sector of the front the Americans have further advanced their line on both sides of the Meuse, obtaining the ob jectives they sought. The British advance after days of hard fighting has brought them, at last to the gates'Of Douai which long has . held back the British from clos ing in upon the great bend in the line which has" Lille as its center and which has been considered by the military ex perts as the keystone to the German defense system through northern Bel gium to the sea. , To the south the French have blotted out both La-Fere and Laon and the greater part of the St. Gobain massif standing on the elbow where the . line runs eastward s toward the Swiss -frontier. ' Here also the Germans for weeks had stood fighting desperately, realizing that a successful advance by their foes would shatter all their mili tary plans inlhe south and probably compel a swifter retirement than is now being carried out and possibly make' untenable the entire Meuse- line to which it is believed they are gradual ly making their way. By the successes of the British and the French the entire German line from Rheims- to the Belgian frontier is made decidedly more unstable, and with the new advances of the French and the Americans in Champagne and along both sides of the- Meuse northward, seemingly the enemy, for a few' days at least, will have to hasten his steps eastward and northward to prevent the great converging maneuver from cap turing large numbers of prisoners, " es pecially in the pocket from the region northwest of Rheims to 'La-Fere. Here, however, the enfemy seeing the ultimate fall of Laon,rmay have used the great network of railways there and suces sfully withdrew a 1, majority "of his forces toward Mezieres. " Along' the Aisne in Champagne" the French have forced their way across the Aisne at various -places . and ; are almost upon the important railway town 1 of Re thel, whence" it is' only a step to ' Mezieres, while north i. of Vouzieres thejr are continuing to bat tle their "way forward toward Sedan In ' the vbend . of the . Aisne.' more' than theirty-six localities have -been- liberatr FOCHS ISC XCgBpm m FIRE. can forces (a) the retreat is preciptV -tate, Le-Cateau having fallen. Debeny's French army is advancing fast on Guise at (b). Mangin's army is gaining ground on the Chcmin desi Dames (c). Berthelot is forcing: the Siuppe front Roar of Cannon Is Army's Answe With The American Army; Northwest of Verdun, -OcU -li? -J&" ncf 4By-The Associated Press.) The synchronized crash of the big guns and the crackles of rifles and automatics on the greater part of the American front tpday re flected the attitude, of the army. as re gards Germany's announcement . that she is willing to accept President. Wil son's peace terms. It was obvious that the forces of Germany and the allies, particularly the allies?-regarded that their part in the great drama still ifi j to fight. , Whether the news or their govern ment's announcement of willingness jto concede President Wilson's terms - bas reached the Germane is not tnown but the greater part of the American army IF WE ACCEPT LOSE SAYSWE Declares Germany's Reply Is In No Wise An Unconditional Surrender. ' " 'IS JUST THE REVERSE "If We Agree to An Armistice Ger many Will "Have Opportunity , to Restore and Refresh Her Armies," He Declare. - 1 v " Washington, Oct. IS. A.cceptance In any degree of the German reply to President ! Wilson's note . including .the granting of. an armistice means the loss of the war for the allies, -Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts, minority leader and ranHing republican of the f 6 reign relations' committee of the1, sen ate, declared tonight in a, statement! The noteVas ''''received unofficially -is not a surrender- on- Germany's part as SecretaryMeAdoo :and others -. claim, Senator Lodge said, but is "highly conditional.''; The - .senate republican leader -demanded, an- unconditional- surrender- or- the' allies -vsroul' be "left, tb ' ' (CbhttoixwW on. Page Two).' .. ; ' r Toicribers Rnhsf.rlhera to- The - Star, both tin the city Ifitnd f y mail,:' shoUld not complain lr iney-iaii -to- receive ineir : paper, if the " subscription Is In ar- ' rears. Under; the-, r-upng rof : th,e War? Industries- Board .we. , are . requil-ed under oath' to eliminateevery jsub-- . seriber who ; Ia netv paid in' advance. -It . has vbeen .impossible-to vnotffy ' many; vexcept'.byliberal advertising : in - the paper, . which "the subscriber ; , may (r may noi, have 'seen. If your ; paper fails , to 'come and .you -ateuh-: certain about youc subBriptioht the: safest plan , is to i enclose remittance .forrenewallandiyuwinbeIven credltlfortlie'-tult 'amount.- . i ,(d),- Gourand's Frenchmen with Am erican assistance are giving the enemy no rest on . the Champagne fe). The first American Army is attacking strongly on both sides of the. AleuseJ (FF). r to Germany's Note was. given as early as possible all in formation :in the possession' of. general headquarters. -' From ;corpsiheadluar ters the news was sent to division head quarterns and from there to the men. in reserve , positions and on to the firing ne. The effect produced was what might have been expected. There were rare instances of outbursts of enthusiastic cheering, but for every, man who so displayed his emotion there were a hundred . whose only comment was an expression of doubt as to the honesty of Germany's -intentions. - i 'rAfere was nothing in the" day's op erations to convince the Americans tfiat the war was over. Before day light the Germans displayed more than usual activity in shelling certain posi tions. East and West of the Meuse (Continued on Pa; Two. WILSON MAY STATE VIEWS IN CONGRESS Regarded Probable He May De liver Address There On German Proposals. MEMBERS : WILL DISCUSS With Little Important - Legislation Planned for. the Week Debates ; On Peace Expected to Over shadow All Else. Washington, Oct. 13. With little im portant legislation planned for the week discussion of the German reply to President. Wilson's note is expected to overshadow all other matters when i congress convenes tomorrow. It was considerecj probable tonight that the pVesident early in' the week might ex press his " views on the peace proposals to :the country through congress. The senate it was considered likely tonight, might give, over the entire session to morrow , to - discussion of the German reply. ' ' ' . - Consideration of the nine billion" dol lar army emergency appropriation 'bill has'. been virtually ' 'completed by the 4 House appropriations - committee and it Is believed the measure can be, re ported to .the House , Wednesday Chair- man Sheriey expects at least two days win' be required for the House to pass the. bill. While the senate committee will act without" delay on the measure, r Majority.: Leader - Martin said tonight the-bill could pot be taken"' up in the 'senate' before nexl week at the earlies'C : in the'v'meanjime the ' Senate' probably will continue its three-day recesses. ' 'Senator McKellar of Tennessee will call-up th,e civil service rerlrement hifl when, the Sena.te meets tomorrow, but discussion of the German peace note I doubtless will v,lldclc' plans for thecdn- twijl .oegin consideration, of the Senate resolution establishing airiofflcers.. re revenue f bill -win be continued ? this week?" - ' "f " " V: Revision by the senate . finance som TOWNS OF LA ON L'FERE ARE TAKEN BY FRENCH GEN. FOCH SEALS HIS TRIUMPH OYER WILHELM'S PETS Vouzieres Captured After Mili tary Masters Said It Could Nqt Be Done. 5,000 CIVILIANS SET FREE Booty Detachments Interrupted By Gen. Gouraud's Swift Advance. With the French Army in France. Ocf 13. 2jl0 p. m. (By the Associat ed Press). Marshal Foch sealed his triumph over Gen. Ludendorff and Field Marshal Von Hindenburg yester- i day when Gen. Gouraud's men entered Vouzieres in the Champagne. Vouzieres is a town of 3,000 inhabi tants. It commands two denies in the forest region eastward and is of no great military importance in itself. The significance of the capture arises from the fact that ince 1914 it has symbolized German resistance in northern France. Von Kluck, in ac knowledging the failure of the plan to take Paris said: "But the French will never retake Vouzieres," meaking not merely the fncoBsequehtal town of that name but the entire system of German defense along the Aisne.- , But Vouzieres has been taken, the line of the Aisne has "crumbled and the Hindenburg line has been demolished at several . places in this region. The Germans 'appear thus far to have kept their retreat in hand with the great est skill. At Vouzieres yesterday ening when the French entered the atown blankets, pillow cases and household linen of all kinds . were lying in the streets having been collected by the German booty detachments interrupted by the rapid j work was advance " of Gouraud's troops. The French , troops not bnly saved part of the booty of Vouzieres that was ready for shipment to Germany, but they in terrupted the work of destruction throughout .the Tegion in the bend of the Aisne, liberating a number of the villages, some of them virtually in tact,, and freeing about 5,000 civilians from German domination. Some houses were still burning in j Vouzieres last evening and German shells were - falling- in the town. Ob servation in the parts' of the villages that could be visited indicates that the damage, is only partial The enemy occupied strong positions on the right bank of-the Aisne to the east where he opposed vigorously the efforts of the" French to effect a cross ing. A passage, , however, was forced this morning and a footing gained on the eastern bank. The fifth army hs continued its ad vance toward Laon, meeting only with the . opposition of rear guards, com posed of machine gun sections. The German artillery has" endeavored to hinder construction of bridges across the Aisne. North of the Oise the enemy appears to be digging in in front of Gen. De beney's forces. The' line upon which the Germans have fallen back is the waterway for a considerable - part af the distance from the Meuse to the Belgian frontier. Their left wing rests upon the Aisne and the bend of the rive rrom the -region north of the Argonne" around to its Junction with the Suippe. In -the center the rivers Serre and Oise and the Sambre canal furnish a . natural Ldef ense, which is prolonged further norm oy me ii Mcaui .canai. - This line furnishes particularly strong obstacles to attacks by tanks which would find difficulty in crossing it under the fire of tlie artillery which the Germans appear to have massed back of their line, and which is still quite . active. . , EPIDEMIC CAUSES FALLING OFF IN . COAL PRODUCTION Washington, Oct. li.-r-Spanish influ enza during 'the past week materially reduced the production of bituminous coal, in eastern and southern fields, and in some instances, reports today to the fuel administration showed, mines were shii t down . because of- the epidemic. - The most serious reduction was in the Cumberland-Piedmont districts of Maryland, Virginia and Wes' Virginia, where, some . small mines - were closed and larger -ones operated on half time. Production, in this region , was -estimated at $0 per cent. The low the ' weekly average. In Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama tfie week's tonnage averaged from 40 to 50- per cent, of normal Taken From Ship. VA Canadian, Pacific PorV Oct.13. Passengers ;were .removed, tpnight. from a ; Canadian steamer which " grounded near - Here , today. ".A ' reports from the .wreclt r says ;the "steamer, has : several FORCES Great Part of the St. Gobain Massif Alsd Wrested From' Germans. ; : .'. L'FERE IS SET ON FIRE German Line Has Been Cracked On a Front Sixty Miles ' In Length. DEEP RETIREMENT NEAR Enemy May Have to Withdraw To Depth of Thirty Miles. Paris, Oct. lThe German stronghold of La:Fere, togeth er with a great part of the,, St. Gobain massif, of which Le-Fere was' a northerly outpost at the Oise, has been captured by the French, today's official war of fice statement announces. The La-Fere-Laon railway Hne has been crossed on the high ground between -Danizy and Versigny, about two and a half miles east of La-Feret The?horthern?and eastern sec tions of Lalf ere are burning. Notable progress . has' , been' made by the Italians and- French along the line to the east, where xne rrencn- nave reacned Arhi f oiitain, fifteen miles north of Rheims. ', LAON IS WRESTED FROM GERMANS WITHOUT A FIGHT With the French Army in France. Oct. 13. (Reuters).-T-Laon, the last of the group of natur&l obstacles form- lns the keystone of the German de- nfcs flg"06' has een taken with- GERMAN UNJB ON FRONT OF SIXTy MILES IS CRACKi2J Paris, Oct. 13. The entire, German A front. St. Gobain to the Argonne, bas cracked on a 60-mile front and it now ' appears the enemy will be forced ' to retreat to a depth of some 30 miles v before finding a suitable Mne of de- ' fertse. At least his position will be" menaced at its flanjis on the Oise to the Sambre canal 'from Ribemont ta -Landreois which lines are very ntar the Belgian frontier. There will be nothing here like the enemy's strong -defenses on the Hindenburg line. "Tne Germans are expectedrto cover their retreat as usual, with t;he best of the natural defenses the country affords, the' principal enemy asset in the pres ent instance being the forests in the areas of the bacK movement."?. Between the Oise and Berry-Au-Bac the seventh German army has been - forced to abandon the line of the All- y ette retiring its right in he forest of St. Gobain. In the-Champagne Gen. Gouraud is continuing his terrific on-, slaughts on his - disorganized adver-f sary. , . " For seventeen consecutive days. Gen. Gouraud's men have been pounding, the German .positions, and continuing to make inroads, upon the defenses. To the north the British armies are push- , ing their advances almost to the point of liberating Dpual.'one ;xf the grat objectives pn their front. Virtually all the German line is in movement '' and there seems now to be rto chance -for the enemy to reorganize his fofces " for resistance. - BRITISH IS FEW HUNDRED VARDSt - OF TOWN ' OF DOtJAI London, Oct. It. The British are within a few hundred yards of Douai, Field Marshal ' Haig .reported .today 'In his. official statement They have cap tured the Fauberg; D'Esqerzhin, the Dowai prison and the greater part of Flers, close to Douai on the northeast. ...... . ,. ; r: : ;, "V- GERMAN RETREAT COIfTfNTJES 13 .-,A!r ORDERLY MA.EB London, Oct. i.- The' German t re- treat on "the '.western' front continued Sunday in an orderly - manner. There -are no signs as; yejr pt a debacle: . , ' . ", V" i . ' ii ' , -'. ' - . FIVE THOUSAND f . CIVILLIA Kfi LIBERATED BY ,THE" FRENCH With the French ;Army in France, Oct. 13. 2 p. m. (By The Associated Press). -Gen. Gouraud's troops in pur suit of the. Germans: have' reached the 4anka of the Aisne in the bend that passes south pf : ReJher and Chateau Porcien. Five, thousand civilians- have been liberated in the ' villages, and towns retaken; from the Germans.' 4. ' -- -... : " .' l . .J'-.'iV, y . - -, U Germans Awked -to Withdraw . - ' - Stockholm, ": Oct, - l3--The F!nnifh ry government" has ' asked :Gerfna!ny 5 'jco y - withdraw 1 hejr . troop from Finland. The request , was recently delivered "to . Gen. Von" dej" Golti; the 'German" hlghJ i 'S ' I1' v (j V I -a i .BIT n 1 I v ;i -'I .( 1 1 n i X ft -uiuonai surrenders I iontlnued on-
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Oct. 14, 1918, edition 1
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