The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-06-27
ALLIES FINAL UL-
TIMATUM DIRECT
AND FORCIBLE

of the final answer on the peace
treaty, sent by M. Clemenceau, pres
ident of the Peace Conference, to
Count Won Brockdorf -Rantzau, pres
ident of the German delegation:
The allied and associated powers
have given the most earnest consid-
GRAFTON to the observation of the Ger
man delegates on the draft treaty of
peace. The reply protests against the
peace on the ground that it conflicts
with the terms upon which the arm
istice of November IL, 1918, was
signed and that it is a peace of vio-
lence and not a peace of justice. The
protest of the German delegation
shows that they fail to understand
the position in which Germany stands
today They seem to think that Ger
many has only to make sacrifices in
order to attain peace, as if this were
but the end of some mere struggle for
territory and power.
The allies and associated powers,
therefore, feel it necessary to begin
their reply by clear statement of the
judgment of the world which has been
forged by practically the whole of
civilized mankind.
In the view of the allied and asso-
ciated powers the war which began
on August l, 1914, was the greatest
crime against humanity and freedom
OF the people that any nation calling
itself civilized has ever consciously
committed. For many years the rul-
ers of Germany, true to the Prussian
tradition, strove for position of
dominance in Europe. They were not
satisfied with that growing prosper
ity and influence to which Germany
was entitled, and which all other ma
lions were willing to accord her; they
required that they should be able to
dictate and tyranize over a subservi-
ent Europe, as they dictated and ty-
ranized over subservient Germany.
In order to attain their ends they
used every channel through which to
educate their own subjects in the doc
Urine that might was right in interna-
tional affairs. They never ceased to
expand German armament by land
and sea and to propagate the false
hood that it was necessary because
Germany's neighbors were jealous of
her prosperity and power.
She sought to SOW hostility and sus-
picion instead of friendship between
nations. The Germans developed
system of espionage and intrigue
Through which they were enabled to
stir up international rebellion and ev-
en- to make secret offensive prepara-
ton within the territory of their
neighbors whereby they might, when
the moment came, strike them down
with greater certainty and case.
They kept Europe in ferment by
threats of violence, and when they
found that. their neighbors were re-
solved to desist, they determined to
assert their predominance in Europe
: by force.
AS soon as their preparations were
complete they encouraged subservi-
ent ally to declare war on Serbia on
! forty-eight hours notice, war in
' volving the control of the Balkans,
!, which they knew could not be localized
! and which was bound to unchain a
:, general war.
In order to make doubly sure they
! refused any attempt at Cancellation
> and conference, until it was too late
!, and the world war was inevitable, for
which they had plotted and they alone
among the nations were adequately
equipped and prepared.
Germany's responsibility is not con-
fined to having planned and started
, the war. She is no less responsible
. for the savage and inhuman manner
in which it was conducted. Though
Germany was herself the guaranty Of
Belgium, Germany violated her solemn
\ promise to respect Bclgiums neutral
i lily.
Not content with this, they DELHI
: erately carried out series of pro-
5 miscuous shootings and burnings with
t the sole object of terrifying the in
n habitants into submission by the very
n lfrightfulness of their action.
They were the first to use poison
D Gus gas, notwithstanding the appail-
a ing suffering it entailed. They began
= the bombing and long-distance she'll
t ing of towns, for no military object,
5 but solely for the purpose Of reduc-
t ing the morale of their opponents by
e striking at their women and children.
: They commenced the submarine
] campaign with its piratical challenge
G to international law and its destruc-
ton of great numbers of innocent
lpdSStHStIS anu SdHoTS III Ihlu-OCedIl,
e far from succor, at the mercy of the
< winds and the waves and the yet more
ruthless submarine crews.
They drove thousands of women and
children with brutal savagery into
slavery in foreign lands; they allowed
z barbarities to be practiced against the
2 prisoners of war, from which the most
3 uncivilized people would have re-
a coiled.
: The conduct of Germany is almost
. unexampled in human history. The
\ terrible responsibility which lies at
! her doors can be seen by the fact that
/ not less than 100000 dead lie bur-
z led in Europe, while more than 90
p 100000 others carry upon them the
a evidence of wounds and suffering, be-
: cause Germany saw fit to crafty her
Ilust for tyranny by resort to war.
! The allied and associated powers
believe they will be false to those who
have given their all to save the free
dom of the world If they consent to
treat war on any other basis than as
a crime against humanity and right.
This attitude of the allied and as