The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-11-07
WAR COUNCIL
BUSY ON TERMS
Entente Considering Making Ger
many Surrender Entire Navy
Including Submarines
and the Helgoland

4
Washington, Nov. 2-The supreme
war council at Versailles. it was
learned today through diplomatic
channels, has under consideration, as
the starting point in framing terms
0f an armistice, proposals that Ger
many be required to withdraw her
armies without their military supplies
or the loot being carried from France
and Belgium. to a zone thirty miles
OH the German side OF the Rhin and
that the entire German navy. includ-
ing submarines and the Heligoland
fortresses be surrendered.
1t Is possible that the conditions.
when finally agreed upon may not
emerge from the council in exactly
this shape but it is believed they will
be no less potent for preserving the
military supremacy of the Allies and
at the same time offer propositions
which the Germans may accept with
out further fighting.
The same information coming
through the same sources. indicates
that the armistice terms as finally
agreed upon may be known to the
world Monday or Tuesday and that
they will be forwarded to Germany
for acceptance in their entirety or not
at all, without opportunity for quib-
bling or trading.
FROM a military point of view the
proposal that the German armies be
disarmed and retired thirty miles be-
yond the Rhine is c!assed ONLY as
tantamount to an absolute surrender.
Allied and American armies MANY
roads to Berlin itself but with the
surrender of railway rolling stock de.
prive them of means to retrace their
steps to fight if they would.
Ihere is some question among mil
itary observers as to whether such
complete terms are really necessary.
Undoubtedly the object sought in
proposing that the enemy retire thir-
" miles behind the Rhine is to de-
stroy the German inner defense sys-
tenn. That system is supported nv a
chaln or fortresses without which the
line would be untenable and some
military experts believe 1t may not be
necessary to go farther than to de-
mand the surrender or dismantline of
those forts.
ine military discussion developed
by the proposals brings a suggestion
that, a wide zone might be estab-
llshed within the borders OF Germany
from which the armed forces of both
sides might be withdrawn until peace
treaties finally have fixed new bound
aries. The French and belgian from
tiers are expected to be reoccupied
by the Allied armies but it might
develop that as the German forces
would be required to fall. back the
German frontier provings might be
left unOccupied in a military sense
IL seems certain to military ex-
perts here. however. that the terms
Will include the surrender of the Metz
tortifications and such of the Rhine
tortresses as will clear the way for
military invasion OF Germany to an
extent making resistance futile.
PRESIDENT Wilson continued today
To keep In touch with the war council
at Versailles through his personal
representatives. Col. House. No one in
Washington outside Of the inner Off
cial circle knows the exact extent of
Col. Houses powers but they are be-
tieved to be very large. They proba-
oily do not go to the extent OF au-
thorizing the conclusion of any bind
ing agreement for an armistice or
peace without approval of the Presi-
dent.
1t has been. Of course. deemed in
advisable to disclose what Is going
on at Versailles. especially while the
proceedings are still under way and
before the various views of the dele
gates have crystallized into ultimate
terms to be offered to Germany.
Aside from the danger from an open
discussion while questions are still
unsettled. 1t is regarded as discour-
teous between nations for one of the
parties to the conference to make
any disclosure until an agreement has
been reached. 1t is even probable that
this rule will govern until the terms
have been presented to Germany.
In some quarters there Ia a dis
position to turn to the Turkish armis-
tice as affording very likely prec-
edent In its general principles to the
demands to be made upon Germany
though there would OF necessity be
great variations in detail owing to the
different conditions.
N0TTCC