The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
SUMTER, s. c. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER g. 1918
Consolidated Aug. 2, 1881.
HUN WITHDRAWAL DEMANDED.
FAR BEYOND RHINE WILL BE
ZONE FIxED.

ZONE Fixed.
Terms as Finally Agreed Upon May
be Known to World SOon-Sure to
be Practically Demand for Surren-
der-No Middle Ground. !.
Washington, N6v. 2.--The supreme
war council at Versailles. it was
learned today through diplomatic
channels, has under cohsideration, as
tne starting point In framing terms OF
an armistice, proposals that. Germany
be required to withdraw her armies
without their military supplies or the
loot being carried from France and
Belgium, to q zone; 80 miles 10 the
German side Of the Rhine and that
the entire German navy including
submarines and the Helgolaad fort
resses be surrendered.
It is possible that the conditions
when finally agreed upon may not
emerge from the council in. exactly
this shape but it Is believed they viii
be no less potent: for preserving: the,
military supremacy Of the allies anu
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 made known TO
the world Monday or Tuesday and
that they will be presented to Ger
many for acceptance in their. entirety
or not at all, without opportunity for
clubbing or trading.
From a military point Of view the
proposal that the German armies :be
disarnned and retired 80 miles beyona
the Rhine is classed only as tantsi-
mount to an absolute surrender. Il
would not only throw open. to the al
LED 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.
:, There is some question among mil
itary observers as TO whether such
complete terms are really necessary.
Undoubtedly the object sought in pr :
posing that the enemy retire 80 miles
behind the Rhine is to destroy the
German inner defense system. That
system is supported by chain .oi
fortresses without which the line
would ;be untenable and some mill
tary experts believe it may not os
necessary to go farther than to DE-
mand+ the surrender Or ldisn1antling Of
those forts. -
The military discussion developa-
by the proposals brings suggestion
that wide zone might be established
within the borders OF Germany from
which the armed forces OF laoth
sides might be Withdrawn until peacs
treaties finally have fixed new boun-
dar3es. The French and Belgian
frontiers are expected to be reoce',-
pied by the allied armies but it might
develop that as the German forces
would be. required to fall back tn.
German frontier. provinces might b.
left unoccupisd in a military sense.
1t seems certain to military experts
here, however, that the terms will IN
clude the surrender OF the Metz forti-
hcations and such Of the Rhine forts
as will clear the way for military in
yasion Of Germany to an extent max
ing resistance futile,
President Wilson cc-ltinued todaj
to keep in touch with si1e war coun-
Gil at Versailles through his persona:
representative. Colonel House. Nc
one in Washington outside: Of the in
ner official circle knows the exact ex-
tent of Colonel Houses powers bilt
they are believed to be very large
They probably do not go to the ex-
tent of authorizing the conclusion o
any binding agreement for an arnlis-
tice or peace without approval of tbs
president.
It has been. OF, course, deemed i'll
advisable TO disclose what is COINS
on at Versailles, certainly not Will:
the proceedings are still under way
and before the various views Of tbs
delegates have crystalized into ulti-
mate terms to Jbe offered to Ger
many. Aside from the danger fron
an open discussion while questions are
still unsettled it is regarded as dis
courteous between nations for one o.
the parties to the conference to make
any disclosure until an agreement has
been reached. 1t is even probabl
that this rule, will govern until the
terms have been presented to Ger
many.
In some quarters there is a disposi-
ton to turn to the Turkish armistice
as affording a very likely precedent in
its general principles to the demands
to be made upon Germany, though
there would of necessity be great va
riations in detail owing to the differ
ent conditions.
ELECTION In HUNGARY.