New-York tribune., 1919-06-23
Allies Refuse
German Plea:
Ready to Strike
Continued from page I

ready presented and with the increase
OF heavy burdens.
"The German people does not wish
for the resumption of the bloody war;
it honestly wishes for lasting peace.
"In view Of the attitude of the AL
lied and associated governments, the
German people has no other force in
its hands save to appeal to the eter-
nally inalienable right to an indie
pendent life, which belongs to the Ger
man people, as to all peoples.
"The government of the German re-
public can lend no support to this
sacred right Of the German people
by the application of force. The gov
ernment only hopes for support
through the$ conscience of mankind.
No people, including those of the AL
lied and associated powers, could ex-
pect the German people to agree with
thorough conviction to an instrument
of peace whereby living members Of
the very body of the German people
are to be cut off without consultation
of the populations concerned, whereby
the dignity of the German state is to
be permanently impaired, and where
by uncomfortable economic and financial
burdens are to be laid upon the Ger
man people.
"The German government has re-
Coivo1 roto Of
ion from the population in the districts
to be cue off in the East, to the effect
that they will oppose themselves to the
separation of these districts which
have for the greater part been Ger
man for many centuries by all means
they possesses. The German govern
ment, therefore, finds itself compelled
to decline all responsibility for any
difficulty which may result from the
resistance of the inhabitants against
their separation from Germany.
eff the government Of the German
republic is, nevertheless, ready to sign
the conditions of the Allies, with the
above mentioned reservation, yet this
is not done of it's free will. The gov
ernment of the German republic SOL
emily declares that its attitude is to
be understood in the sense that it
yields to force, being resolved to spare
the German people, whose suffering are
unspeakable, a new war, the shattcring
of it's national unity by further occu-
patton of German territories, terrible
famine for women and children, and
mercilessly prolonged retention of the
prisoners Of war.
"The German people expects, in view
Of the grievous burdens which it is to
take upon itself, that all German mill
tary and civilian prisoners, beginning
July 1, and thereafter in uninterrupted
succession and within a short period,
shall be restored. Germany gave back
her enemies prisoners of war within
two months"
Reply of the Allies
The reply to the German delegation
said:
The present note of the German
delegation presents no arguments or
considerations not already examined.
The Allied and Associated govern
ments, therefore, feel constrained to
say that the time for discussion is
past. They can accept or acknowledge
no qualification or reservation and
must require Of the German represent
atlves an unequivocal decision as to
their purposes to sign and accent as
whole, or not to sign and accept the
treaty as finally formulated. After the
signature, the Allied and Associated
powers must hold Germany responsible
for the execution of every stipulation
OF the treaty"