May 1919

Germany rejects peace terms

May 2

Germany’s Peace Delegates Arrive At Conference

The first official meeting between the Allied and the German peace delegates took place on Thursday afternoon. The opinion prevails that the peace terms will be communicated to the Germans Monday afternoon.

The spacious dining room of the hotel Trianon received its peace Congress installation - three long tables in horseshoe form covered in green cloth – the color of politics and games of hazard. The size of the side tables is imposing, as they extend some 50 to 60 feet through the room. At the head of the apartment is a table about 35 feet long, at which the representatives of the great powers will be seated. Inside the horseshoe is another table covered with red plush where the Germans will sit. In the window openings are a number of smaller square tables for secretaries.

Almost fainting from emotion, the German Foreign Secretary’s, the head of the German delegation’s, pass-through was evidently one of the bitterest moments of his life. He was barely able to sustain himself through the brief ceremony of presenting his credentials to the Allied delegates, before immediately leaving for the waiting automobile, which had brought him to the gathering.

Many Chapters In Peace Treaty

The treaty of peace comprises of fifteen to twenty chapters. The preamble is contained in the first chapter, setting forth the reasons why the various contracting parties entered the war and mentioning the necessity for the League of Nations. The second chapter deals with the German frontier and the third contains all clauses connected with alterations of frontiers resulting in changes in the sovereignty of territory. The fourth sets forth the military, naval and aerial clauses and the fifth contains the disposition of the German colonies.

The other chapters are not yet finished, but they will concern reparations, economic and financial questions, and will deal with the international labor legislation treaty. The treaty concludes with a chapter concerning the guarantees for the execution of the treaty conditions in Germany.

The German delegates to the Peace Conference will be given fifteen days in which to consider the treaty and make any counterproposals they desire. They may begin offering their suggestions at any time, but no day of grace will be given them in providing their final answer. The Allies, it was stated, reserve the right to reply, or reject, to any of the German objections or proposals at any time. The belief was expressed that no more than five days would be required for closing the exchange of ideas.

While the date for the presentation of the treaty to the Germans has still not been fixed, it probably will be Monday or Tuesday. Numerous details remain to be approved, but consideration of them has reached such a stage that it is reasonably certain that the peace documents can be whipped into shape in the next three or four days.

May 9

Rigorous Peace Terms Are Handed To Germans

The treaty of peace between the 27 Allied and associated powers on the one hand, and Germany on the other, was handed to the German delegates on Wednesday. It is the longest treaty ever drawn. It totals about 8,000 words, divided into fifteen main sections, that represent the combined product of over 1,000 experts working continually through a series of commissions for the 3 ½ months since January 18. It does not deal with questions affecting Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, except so far as binding Germany to accept any agreement reached with those former allies.

The contents of the first five chapters of the treaty have already been outlined, dealing with the preamble, German frontiers, territory changes, German colonies and the military naval and aerial features of the pact. The sixth chapter defines the status of prisoners of war, and the seventh concerns the responsibilities of the former Emperor and other Germans for the war. The eighth and ninth chapters are devoted to phases of the reparations problem and financial clauses. The tenth deals with economic clauses, the eleventh with ports, railroads and border communications, the twelfth concerns international labor legislation, the thirteenth embraces guarantees and the fourteenth contains general clauses dealing with ratification.

Germany, by the terms of the treaty, is required to restore Alsace-Lorraine to France, accepts the internationalization of the Saar Basin temporarily, and of Danzig permanently, agrees to territorial changes towards Belgium Denmark and East Russia, cedes most of upper Silesia to Poland, renounces all territorial and political rights outside of Europe and recognizes the total Independence of German Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Her army is to be reduced to 100,000 men, conscription within her territories is abolished, and all importation, exportation and production of war materials is to be stopped. Allied occupation of parts of Germany will continue until reparation is made.

The German Navy is to be reduced to six battleships, six light cruisers and twelve torpedo boats, without submarines. All other vessels must be surrendered or destroyed. Germany may have no military or Naval Air Force except 100 unarmed seaplanes for search and rescue purposes.

Germany must accept full responsibility for all damages caused worldwide and must agree specifically to reimburse all civilian damages beginning with an initial payment of twenty billion marks, subsequent payments to be secured by bonds to be issued at the discretion of the reparations commission.

The peace treaty prevents Germany from signing an alliance with the Russian Bolsheviks and for the incorporation in Germany of German Austria. Austria will be made a neutral republic under the eyes of the League of Nations with the prohibition that she shall not incorporate herself with Germany. Meanwhile, Alsace-Lorraine will be given absolutely to France.

The complete economic isolation of Germany is being considered by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Peace Conference as a measure to be adopted in the event Germany refuses to sign the peace treaty.

Should a refusal by the Germans to sign the treaty lead to a further invasion of Germany, the maneuver will be carried out almost entirely by French troops. By June 3, unless present orders are changed, there will be only two American divisions on the Rhine and the British forces will be correspondingly reduced.

Marshall Foch, on his first tour of the zone of occupation, is arranging just what part the American and British forces will play in any eastward advance. He is also completing his program by which the French will take over a larger part of the American area in the first day of June, whether the treaty is signed or not.

Surrender Of Colonies To Be Chief Objection Of German Delegates

Germany’s initial response was provided to the Allied powers almost immediately, and was translated sentence by sentence by the German interpreters, who did not fail to bring, with full emphasis, every sharp face of it, and the three Allied statesman put their heads together with evident anger at more than one of the German spokesman's cutting utterances, as if they were deliberating upon the advisability of immediate answer.

Among the terms of the treaty which the Germans found the most objectionable is that relating to the surrender of her colonies. They will urge that German East Africa, Togoland, and Mamerun should be left to her, and, upon refusal, she will be asked to be assigned some part in the future administration of her former colonies. They will ask that in any case Germany shall not be barred from purchasing some Portuguese colonies at a future date, should Portugal be willing to sell.

A plea also will be made that the Saar region shall revert to Germany after a term of years. The delegates will oppose any proposal to deprive them of sovereignty over the Kiel Canal. They will also oppose any so-called Polish corridor which guarantees the right of free transit by Poles, both by rail and by river, to Danzig, and while opposing any plan to deprive them of sovereignty over the city itself, they will agree that portions of Danzig shall be regarded solely for Polish commerce.

The German delegates complained bitterly to one of the French liaison officers of the unexpected harshness of the conditions of peace. The delegates said they expected from the newspaper reports that the demands in many respects would be far-reaching, but were not prepared for the terms as actually laid down in the printed copy of the document.

The German government has not yet submitted any communication with regard to the peace treaty. All exchanges between the delegates and the home government are being kept secret.

As the terms of the peace treaty became known in Germany, the German press was quick to suggest only one immediate solution - peace with Russia and the use of Bolshevik troops to defend Germany. According to one German Peace Conference delegate: "The cruel predictions of the Allied press as to the conditions that would be imposed upon Germany have been exceeded." Another German delegate said the document is "simply awful." It is reported that the opinion of the German people would prefer anarchy than submit to such slavery, as the peace treaty would force upon Germany.

According to German press, all the parties, from the extreme left to the extreme right, regard the peace treaty as impossible to accept. It is generally believed that the Germans will answer the treaty of peace with a counter proposal.

May 17

Experts See Danger In Peace Terms

Germany's reply to the terms of peace will be a proposal for a "’Peace of right’ on the basis of a lasting peace on nations," according to a proclamation issued to the German people by German President Ebert.

The proclamation says the current treaty would deliver German labor to foreign capitalism for the indignity of wage slavery and permanently cripple the young German Republic. The proclamation closes with an appeal to the German people to "stand together, knowing no parties, and to preserve with the government mutual trust in the path of duty in the belief of the triumph of reason and right."

The text of the proclamation is as follows: "The first reply of the Allies to the sincere desire for peace on the part of our starving people was the laying down of the uncommonly hard armistice conditions. The German people, having laid down its arms, honestly observed all the obligations of the armistice, hard as they were. Notwithstanding this, our opponents for six months have continued the war by maintaining the blockade. The German people for all these burdens, trusting in the promise given by the Allies in their note of November 8, that the peace would be a ‘piece of right’ on the basis of President Wilson's 14 points."

"Instead of that, the Allies have now given us peace terms which are in contradiction to the promise given. It is unbearable for the German people and is impracticable, even if we put forth all our powers. Violence without measure would be done to the German people. From such an imposed peace, fresh hatred would be bound to arise between the nations and in the short course of history they will bring new wars."

"The dismemberment and mangling of the German people, the delivering of German labor to foreign capitalism for the indignity of wage slavery, and the permanent fettering of the young German Republic by the Allied imperialism is the aim of this ‘Piece of Violence’. The German People's government will answer the peace ‘Proposal of Violence’ with a proposal of a ‘Peace of Right’ on the basis of a lasting peace of the nations."

"The German government will put forth every effort to secure for the German people the same national unity and independence, and the same freedom of labor and economical and cultural respects which the Allies want to give to all the people of Europe, save only our people."

"Our nation must save itself by its own action. In view of this danger of destruction, the German nation and the government must stand by each other, knowing no parties. Let Germany unite in a single will to preserve German nationality and liberties. Every thought and the entire will of the nation ought now to be turned to labor for the preservation and reconstruction of our Fatherland. The government appeals to all Germans in this hard hour to preserve with it mutual trust in the path of duty and in the belief in the triumph of reason and of right."

"Sign, But World Revolts," Is The Cry In Germany

"Even if important changes are not made by the negotiations, there remains no choice but to bow to the compulsion and sign the treaty," says an appeal of the Central Committee of the Independent Socialist Party in Germany.

"Not signing means the retention of our prisoners of war, the occupation of our raw material districts, the tightening of the blockade, unemployment, hunger and death en masse. It is the proletariat that would suffer the most terribly from the consequences. Peace as hard and as oppressive as it may be is a necessity for the rebuilding of our social and economic life in the spirit of the revolutionary proletariat."

"To keep our nation alive - that and nothing else - is our duty. We are not pursuing nationalistic dreams; no question of prestige and no thirst for power have a part in our deliberations. Life is what we must have for our land and nation today. While everyone feels our throttling hand at his throat."

"The thing which is at the basis of our discussion is this the volume in which 100 sentences begin with Germany renounces… this dreadful and murderous volume, by which confessions of our own unworthiness, our constant to penniless disruption, our agreement to helotry and slavery, are to be extorted - this book must not become the future code of law."

The appeal concludes with a demand that the workmen of all countries unite against capitalism for world revolution.

May 23

Germany declines To Sign Peace Terms

German President Ebert, in addressing a demonstration in Berlin, said that he would never sign the peace terms. He described the peace terms as the product of the enemies’ vengeful hysteria, adding, neutral foreign countries will not permit the proscription of Germany. They will raise their voices with us that this piece of enslavement, which we will never sign, shall not come to pass.

President Ebert said, "the peace terms spell the economic destruction, political dishonor and moral degradation of the entire German nation not only for the present, but also for still on board generations."

"These consequences must logically follow acceptance of the peace conditions the American press itself has recognized without question. Towards them Germany took the standpoint that acceptance of such conditions could not be demanded and that the Allies were unjustified in imposing such demands."

"Germany has not only a moral right to compliance with the general promises made it when signing the terms of the armistice, but a right to justice and recognition, instead of the paragraph song of hate which was written at Versailles."

However, a member of the German delegation who returned to Versailles said, "we will sign despite all, because we will be hacked to pieces if we return to Berlin without signing. However, mark my words, by signing, I will set in motion a Second World War which will be more brutal and more devastating than the first one."

Serious disagreements have arisen in the past 24 hours among the German delegates. A majority, including the financial experts, are said to be violently opposed to signing the treaty, while the minority see no way out but to sign. Field Marshal von Hindenburg is reported to have told the delegates that all resistance was impossible and that the military leaders were inclined to the necessity of signing the treaty, as abhorrent as it was.

Huns To Propose Economic Parlay

It is apparent that one of the principal points of the German reply to the peace terms will be a proposal to institute a joint committee of representatives of both sides, with a neutral President, to decide the economic questions. The Germans also will suggest the appointment of a similar committee to determine the damage done to Belgium and France.

The German reply, it is understood, will protest that the treaty does not take into consideration the damage done in Germany. It will also urge that Austria-Hungary, having been an ally of Germany, should be held in the same responsibility as Germany.

Full realization of the peace terms has restored some of the nationalist feeling in Germany, which seemed entirely to have vanished, and today there is almost solid national opinion against the treaty. Germany is slowly finding men around whom she will rally. Then soon they may be the storm center of the attempted peace settlement.

May 30

Germans Prepare Counter Peace Proposals

Information has been received that the counterproposals to be made by Germany to the Peace Conference will declare in favor of military disarmament, saying that Germany is ready to reduce her forces to 350,000 within two months after the conclusion of peace, and by the expiration of another year to cut the size of the Army down to 200,000 men.

It will be declared that in spite of the internal disorders and the necessity of defending her frontiers Germany agrees to disarm ahead of all other powers. It is pointed out that this gives adequate proof of Germany's determination to renounce all military and imperialistic tendencies.

However, the same report said Germany should refuse to sign the military and economic terms of the peace treaty, which are not acceptable. So far, the Germans have submitted thirteen notes protesting various aspects of the proposed peace treaty.

The German delegation insisted Germany's only responsibility is for the violation of Belgian neutrality, which it is ready to make reparations for, and declares that all the powers were responsible for the war and that the material damage done was the work of the Allied armies, as well as the Germans.

With the exception of one minor concession, all suggestions and counterproposals by Germany for the disposition of the Saar Valley have been rejected by the Allied powers. The concession agreed to is that Germany might create a prior charge upon her assets or revenue for the payment of the mines in the Saar Valley.

In addition, the German counterproposal will include a demand that the administration of the Rhine district shall remain German; Germany to deliver coal to France from the Ruhr and Saar Valley, but not to the knowledge France’s ownership of that land.

According to reports, the German cabinet is in full accord with respect to the general outlines and the specific proposals of the counter proposals, which will make up the German reply.

Meanwhile, rumors and scares over prospective occupation by the Allies have been on the increase recently in western Germany. Newspapers publish editorials urging the people to keep cool and be prepared to a set philosophy of the events of the next few weeks, even occupation by Allied troops.

Virtually every newspaper from unoccupied Germany makes mention of Allied soldiers marching Eastward from the Rhine in the event that Germany refuses to accept the peace terms. The population is cautioned against demonstrations if the troops appear.

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