The Washington herald., 1919-04-22
GERMANS READY
TO DEFY ALLIES
PEACEDEMANDS
Cabinet and Foreign Office
Defiant in Last Bid
For Power.
WILL ASK FOR PARLEY
Delegates Prepare Their
Own Interpretation Of
Wilson's S Points.

Berlin. April 21.-The German gov
ernment was reported to have de-
cided not to accept the peace treaty
without waiting to learn the terms.
Both the cabinet and the foreign
office are openly defiant. figuring
retaIiate.
The radicals are demanding ac-
ceptance of any terms submitted by
the allies. but the cabinet now de-
cIares final decision rests with the
national assembly, and not with a
pIeoiscite.
The general opinion prevails here
that the government has deliberate
ly misinterpreted the allied invita-
tion to Versailles. hoping to provoke
a crisis that will enable the gov
ernment to blame the allies if the
cabinet is overthrown by the radi-
Gals.
Want Negotiations
Berlin newspapers discussing the
allied invitation to Paris emphasize
the necessity for real negotiations"
pointing out that otherwise it will
be impossible for the Germans to
sign the treaty.
1T will be impossible to sign
any agreement beyond the fourteen
points" the Tages Zeitung and the
Kruez Zeitung declared.
The German peace delegation is go
ing to Paris confidently expecting to
wreck the allied peace machine. This
is plainly evident from statements in
the Berlin press. as well as the at
titude of the foreign office.
oddly enough, the Germans plan to
use the same tactics which brought
America into the war two years ago.
The foreign office theory Is that the
allies will not call Germany's blui
il the delegates announce their deter
mination to refuse to sign the terms.
The diplomatists here figure the allies
will not, and cannot. retaliate ef-
III
tiyes baIk-the same as Count Won
BernstorfT and other men of the for
eign office calculated in the spring OF
1917.
To Debate II Points.
The new republic has intrusted its
destinies to a group of diplomatlsts
who have not changed in any way
from those who directed Germany )
policies before the revolution, .
We believe the terms reported from
Paris are Just entente proposals TO
prepare the German people for the
hardest possible, peace so they will
appreciate the terms actually offered.
which undoubtedly will be much
easier" a member of the foreign Of
fee said. 1T is clever peace propa-
sanda, but fortunately we see through
it,"
Foreign Minister Brockdorff-R RantZau
is prepared to interpret President
Wilson'S fourteen principles in an en-
tirely different light from that of the
allies and Wilson's viewpoint regard
ing AIsace-Lorraine, POsen, the Ger
man colonies and other disutable
questions.
II has been reported the GerncAns
DIdn 10 uP lht PNoNt ~
refuse to sign them. then make
counter peace proposals. according
To German ideas. threatening to
turn Germany over to the Bolsheviki
il the allies still stand pat. The
foreign office is expected to frighten
the allies into believing Germany
will pay no indemnities If the Boil
sheyiki get control of the country.
This is purely bluff. because the
foreign office has absolutely nfthing
TO do with Bolshevism in Germany
Neither can the allies be blamed for
present conditions in Germany since
the present government is wholly
responsible for trouble with the
vorkmen. The government Is de-
Iiberately ignoring the unrest. say
ing It will disappear as soon as the
lilies grant a favorable peace.