Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-19
Original Terms Signed I'm
der His 'Iron Compul-
sion,'' Says Erzberger
wEIMAR CHEERS ENVOY
German Military Chief Re-
sents New Conditions
Limiting Army
Bv the Associated Press


Moons session of the National As
sembly. outlining the entire history
OF the armistice negotiations. from the
time they were begun last fall. His
statement was in reply to a bitter per-
sonal attack made upon him by the first
speaker to be heard under the rule Civ
ing time for an Interpolation regarding
the recently renewed armistce--Dele-
gate vogler, of the German Peoples
party
The house was in an uproar for the
better part of an hour, first in protest
! against Herr Vogler's attack and then
in enthusiastic support of Herr Erz-
berger. as he defended himself and
scathingly denounced his assailant.
kilograms OF protest against the sign
ing OF the new armistice are pouring
into the National Assembly, and one
from Berlin demands that n period of
national mourning be ordered
Hindenburg Demanded Truce
Herr Erzberger told the house many
things about the armistice which were
either unknown TO or had only been
suspected by his hearers. One of these
was his unqualified statement that it
was Prince Macmillan of Baden who
had approached the Entente because Of
the iron compulsion of the high mill
tary command for peace" 1t was Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg who demanded
and authorized the signing of the first
terms, Herr Erzberger declared.
On the evening OF November 10, Herr
Erzberger continued, he received a wire
less from the German high command
asking for concessions on nine points,
but also containing the phrase, now
made public for the first time, that:
. Il
ing concessions on these points, YOU
must sign the armistice."
Herr Erzberger said that he took
the responsibility for recalling hugo
SHINES from Treves, where he went as
an expert in regard to the handing over
of agricultural machinery. Erzberger
added:
II could not present TO our adver-
saries as an expert a man, who like
him. had taken such a large part in the
exploitation of Belgium, and who was
the principal author of the deportation
OF the unemployed from Belgium, an in
cident which has created such de-
plorable impression" ..
Herr ErZberger, who seemingly has
been very unpopular because of his work
lin the armistice negotiations, and who
received only scattered applause when
he spoke last week TO the National As
sembly, re-established himself by his
speech today not only with his own
party, but with all others with the ex-
ception of the conservatives Their
demonstration caused Herr Vogler to
stop speaking by drowning out his voice.
Erzberser is Cheered
The house cheered Herr Erzberger az
the conclusion OF his speech, breaking
the house rules and applauding as well
as cheering for several minutes until IL
was called to order by President Feh-
renbach.
Herr Vogler in his attack on Erzber-
ger apparently made tactical mistake
when he launched into a harangue Of
personal accusation and abuse. We
have lost the war" Vog'er declared,
'and We raise the most serious charges
against you
At this point the house became a bed
lam, and Nogler. by shouting, attempt
ed to continue, but cries from the Left
silenced him. After President Fehren-
bach had rebuked him Vogler conclud-
ed:
We assume that peace will come very
soon, but we assume that il will be the
peace of the graveyard"
Herr Erzberger offered TO resign when
ever the House desired in concluding his
reply to Nogler and added:
"Our people must not starve. Hun
ger Is the pacemaker for Bolshevism
We must offer gold and securities for
food. Capitalists must put their for
tunes at the disposal of the government
SO that the people will not starve. La
Dor and capital must work together.
Measures of force must be used"
Herr Erzberger yesterday declared be-
fore the assembly that "the world will
condemn the Entente for its severity"
He assured the assembly: IL have con-
ndence that Marshal Foch's given word
will be kept"
London, Feb. 1s.-(By A. P)-Ad-
vices received from Berlin by way OF
Basel state that the Pan-German mill
tary party. headed by Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg, bitterly resents the new
clauses in the armistice especially those
limiting the Germany army to the size
Of a simple police force (the figures un-
officially reported from Treves are 25O,-
000); the supervision of control of mu-
milton factories and the demand that
Germany pay the expenses OF the Allied
armies of occupation on the Rhine.
These conditions. 1t is complained, will
throw out OF work thousands OF German
off1cers. from generals downward, while
the army OF 5000 volunteers, reported
sanized, must be disbanded.
The advices add that indignation
against Matthias Erzberger on the part
OF the military authorities is increasing.
Basol. Feb. 1s.-(By A. PIN his
attack on Matthias Erzberger at the meet
ing OF the German National Assembly
Yesterday. in Weimar, Herr Vogler said
that Erzberger had failed to consult ex-
perts before entering into negotiations
to give up railway and agricultural ma
chinery and criticized him for signing
the naval convention in the face OF en-
ergetio protests from competent au-
thorities"
vogler added that In the worlds IN
dustry, commerce and professions it Is
recoanized that the peace conditions of
President Wilson were put forward to
lead us into an arnistice first and then
10 90 us violent injury
Herr Erzberger, in reply, said that
Vogler's most serious complaints were
based on a complete Misunderstanding
OF actual events were a skillful mis-
Representation. He declared that his
whole official activity consisted in con-
tinually listening to experta He contra
dicted the assertion that the Allies were
disposed at the time OF the original
krlpistice to conclude peace without in
IDENTITIES. but that after the revolution
Marnhal Foch had declared that the en-
tire situation had been changed and that
the revolution had resulted in increasing
the severity Of the arrnistice