The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-05-23
GERMAN ENJOYS.
JOURNEY TO SPA.
Rantzau at Conference Be-
lieved to Be Preparatory
Step to Decision.
ALLIES REJECT PROTEST
Made by Enemy Delegates as
to Economic Conditions
of Peace Treaty.

| Won BrOckdorn- RantZau ana MS col
leagues on the German peace delega-
ton, who left Paris yesterday for
Spa, are expected to return Sunday.
There Is no indication that their alb
sence is interfering with the prog
ress of negotiations, the remaining
delegates oceeding with their work
as usual.
Absence Will Be Short.
Paris, May ga (Havas) News
papers here believe the absence of
| Count Won Brockdorff- Rantzau and
other members of the German delega-
| ton, who left yesterday for Spa, Will
| be short. Some regard the departure
| of the Germans as means of utiliz-
| ing the delay in the peace ncgotia-
| tions granted by the conference on
Wednesday. 1t is believed the dele
! gates which left yesterday will con-
| fer at Spa preparatory to making a
| serious decision. The Echo de Paris
believes the German leaders have
taken a stand against signing the
! treaty, but that public opinion IN
| Germany is against them, and they
will retreat and reach position
which will make an agreement with
, the allies more possible. All the
| the chief of the German peace mis-
sion does not indicate break be-
! tween the allies and the Germans.
Rantzau's Note Published.
Paris, May 23.--(A P)-The note
| from Count Won Brockdorff Rantzau,
| head of the German peace delegation
at Versailles, regarding the economic
| effect of the peace treaty, dated at
Versailles, May IS, was made public
today. The note reads:
MIR. President--m conformity with
my communication of the 9th instant
! have the honor to present to your
excellency the report of the economic
commission charged with the study
of the effect of the con ltions of
peace on the situation of the German
population.
"In the course Of the last two
generations Germany has become
transformed from an agricultural
state to an industrial state. AS long
as she was an agricultural state,
Germany could feed 40,000.000 inhab-
itants. In her quality as an indus
trial state she could insure the nour-
! ishment of a population of 65,000 600.
In 1908 the importation of foodstuffs
amounted in round figures to l200O,-
600 tons. Before the war a total of
100000 of persons provided for
their existence in Germany by for
eigna trade and by navigation, either
in direct or an indiEect -manner, by
the use of foreign raw&material.
Will Surrender Ships.
"'Accordng to the conditions of the
peace treaty, Germany will surrender
her merchant tonnage and ships in
course of construction suitable for
overseas trade. German shipbuildinS
yards will build for five years in the
first instance tonnage destined for the
allied and associated governments.
Germany will, moreover, renounce her
colonies. all her overseas possessions,
all her interests and securities in the
allied and associated countries and in
their colonies, dominions and protec-
torates; will, as an installment of the
payment for part of the reparatiOn, |
be subject to liquidation and may he
exposed to any other economic war
measures which the allied and asso-
ciated powers think fit to maintain
or to take during the years of peace. |
Will Suffer for Lack of Coal
"'By the putting into force of the
territorial clauses Of the treaty of
peace Germany would lose to the east !
the most important regions for the ,
production of corn and potatoes |
which would he. equivalent to the loss
Of Fl per cent. Of the total crop of |
those articles of food. Moreover the |
intensity of our agricultural produc-
tion would diminish considerably. on |
the one hand, the importation of GER
tain raw material Indispensable for
the production of manure, such as
Dhosphates, would be hindered on
the other hand, this industry would
ffg,,. TIH.r