The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-02-19
GERMANS TO HAVE
ONLY DEFENSE Army
~
Ebert, However, Admits Plan to Use
Conscription '"~
NEED FOOD AND MATERIALS
New German President Says Bern
storf Won't Attend Peace
Conference.
NEED FOOD AND MATERIALS

Welmar, Feb. 15.-{By the Asso-
ciated Press. .)-Count Won Bernstorff
Will not go to the peace conference
as German delegate; Germany plans
tor the time being at least a peoples
army on the basis of general conscrip-
ton. Germany will announce within
few days her intention to carry out
complete disarmament and demobili-
zatlon and a commission made up of
the center, Democratic and Socialist
parties is now discussing details of
the new governmental program.
These points we're made by Fried
rich Ebert, the new President of Ger
many, IN an informal talk with for
eign newspaper men today. They an
s"ered questions of American and
English correspondents, asked after he
had read formal innocuous state
ment which followed the lines of his
address on Wednesday, in which he
emphasized Germany's intention to re-
habilitate herself.
President Ebert read his statement
rapidly and then signified his willing
ness to answer questions, an oppor-
tunity of which the newspaper men
made immediate use.
Only Defense Army.
The question Of disarmament was
f1rst raised since reports from the
peace conference in Paris indicate it is
occupying large place in discussions
there. President Ebert frankly as
tonlshed his hearers by his declara
ton that a commission was already
working on the problem. He said
Germany in future was going to have
only an army of defense. 1t was at
the very end Of his talk that he ad
mitted this guard will be raised bv
conscription, and he left the room
before further details could be elected
lie said the assurance that the bor
ders OF the country would be pro-
tected was absolutely essential al
though he would welcome universal
disarmament, which would make such
protection unnecessary. He declared
an understanding had already been
reached by which various branches of
industry will be united and operated
soclalistically, adding that onl,
monopolized business will be social
lied. In answer to question rclat
i've to foodstugs in Germany he said
he regarded the situation as very
gloomy since the conditions are very
hard. Germany, he said, has only a
limited amount of foreign securities
with which she can purchase food.
"Our gold, as the world knows, has
in large part gone to the Entente"
he said "All the gold and securities
now on hand would not suffice to
cover more than the most urgent
needs Germany would be glad to re-
pay honoraby and uprightly as soon
as possible. If food and raw materials
are furnished and Germany is given
assistance toward rehabilitation, I be-
lleve the economic and general sit
uatlon can be brought into an orderly
and progressive path"
"Not Bernstorg."
Count Brockdorf- Rantzau, the for
eign minister in the provisional cab
met, DR.. Edward David, the prcsi
dent of the national assembly, and
many persons experienced on cconom
lc lines, he said, would probably at
tend the peace conference for Ger
many, "but not Bernstorff," he added
instantly to questioner 1t was the
first time Count Won Bcrnstorff's par
ticiHation, which had been advertised
freely, was denied. The German peace
delegates, President Ebert continued,
will appear with definite proposals,
including plans for a league of ma
tlons, working mems protective laws
and a court to decide international
disputes.