616 Anhang in den Pereinigten Staaten. (Okt. 27.) 
against Germany the necessary terms of such an armistice as will fally 
protect the interests of the peoples involved, and insure to the associated 
Governments the unrestricted power to safeguard and enforce the details. 
of the peace to which the German Government has agreed, provided 
ther deem such an armistice possible from the military point of view. 
Should such terms of armistice be suggested, their acceptance by German) 
will afford the best concrete evidence of her unequivocal acceptance of 
the teims and principles of peace from which the whole action proceeds. 
The President would deem himself lacking in candour did he not 
boint out in the frankest possible terms the reason, why extraordinary 
safeguards must be demanded. Significant and important as the con- 
stitationa! changes seem to be which are spoken of by the German 
Foreign Secretary in his note of the 20th of october. it does not appear 
that the principle of a government responsible to the German people 
has yet been fulli# worked out or that any guarantees either exist or 
are in contemplation. that the alternation of principle and of practice, 
now partially agreed upon. will be permanent. 
Moreover. it does not appear. that the heart of the present difficult)y 
has been reached. It may be that future wars have been brought under 
the control of the German people, but the present war has not been, 
and it is with the present war that we are dealing. It is evident, tbat 
the German people hbave no means of commuanding the acquiescence of 
the military authorities of the Empire in the popular will, tbat the power- 
of the King of Prussia to control the policy of the Empire is unimpaired, 
that the determining initiative stil! remains with those, who have bitherto 
been the masters of Germany. Feeling that the whole peace of the 
world depends now on plain speaking and straightforward action, the 
President deems it his duty to say without any attempt to soften what 
may seem harsh words, that the nations of the world do not and cannot, 
trust the word of those who have hitherto been the masters of German 
policy, and to point out once more, that in concluding peace and 
attempting to undo the infinite injuries and injustices of tbis war, the 
„Government of the UCnited States cannot deal with any but veritable 
representatives of the German pecople who have been assured of a 
genuine constitutional standing as the real rulers of Germany. If it must 
deal whit the military masters and the monarchical autocrats of Germany) 
now, or if it is likely to have to deal with them later in regard to the 
international obligations of the German Empire, it must demand not 
peace negations, but surrender. Nothing can be gained by leaving this 
essential thing unsaid. Accept, Sir. the renewed assurance of my high 
Consideration. Robert l.ansing. 
(S. dazu Tl. 1 S. 390 f.) 
27. Okt. Vierte deutsche Note an Wilson. 
Als Antwort auf die amerik. Note v. 23. wird folgende Antwort- 
note abgesandt: 
Die deutsche Regierung hat von der Antwort des Präsidenten der 
Ver. Staaten Kenntnis genommen. Der Präsident kennt die tiefgreifenden 
Wandlungen, die sich in dem deutschen Verfassungsleben vollzogen haben 
und vollziehen. Die Friedensverhandlungen werden von einer Volksregierung 
geführt, in deren Händen die entscheidenden Machtbefugnisse tatsächlich und 
verfassungsmäßig ruhen. Ihr sind auch die militärischen Gewalten unterstellt. 
Die deutsche Regierung sieht nunmehr den Vorschlägen für einen Waffen- 
stillttand entgegen, der einen Frieden der Gerechtigkeit einleitet, wie ihn.