The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-21
PREPARATIONS
REPUDIATED
Germans Say They We're
Not Responsible for Their
Governments Acts
1T WAS DEFENSIVE
WAR FOR THEM
Neither Do Delegates Share
Allies View as to the
Cause of War

Paris, May 2l.-The peace conference
last night made public the text of the
German note regarding reparations and
the reply made by Premier Clemenceau
as president of the conference
The German note reads:
"At Versailles, May l3, 1919.
"To His Excellency, NJ. Clemenceau,
President of the Peace Conference:
"Sir:
In the draft OF the peace treaty sub
mitted TO the German delegates, part
VII, concerning reparation, begins with
article 23l, which reads as follows:
The allied and associated govern
ments affirm and Germany accepts the
responsibility of Germany and her al
lies for causing all the loss and damage
to which the allied and associated gov
ernments and their nationals have been
subjected as consequence of the war
made upon them by Germany and her
allies
"The obligation to make reparation
has been accepted by Germany by vir-
tue of the note from Secretary of State
Lansing of Nov 5, 1918, independently of
the question of responsibility for the
war. The German delegation cannot ad =
init that there could arise out of re-
sponsibility incurred by the former Ger
man government in regard to the origin
OF the world war any right for the al
lied and associated powers to be indemni
fled by Germany for losses suffered dur
ing the war
"The representatives of the allied and
"a tnA go 10 4
elared several times that the German peo-
pie should not be held responsible for
the faults committed by their govern
ments. The German people did not will
the war and would not have agreed to
a war Of aggression They have always
remained convinced that this war was
for them defensive war.
"The German delegates also do not
share the view Of the allied and asso-
ciated governments In regard to the
origin of the war. They cannot con
slider the former German government as
the party which was solely or chiefly TO
blame for the war. The draft of the
treaty of peace transmitted by you con
tains no facts in support Of this view,
no proof on the subject IS furnished
therein. The German delegates beg to
be so good as to communicate to them
the report of the commission set up BY
the allied and associated governments
for the purpose of establishing the re-
sponsibility Of the authors Of the war.
Pray accept, Mr.. President, the as
surance of my high consideration
(Signed "Brockdorif- Rantzau"
The text Of the reply Of Premier Gle
menceau is dated May 20, 1919, and Il
as follows
"Mr. Chairman:
In your note Of May IL YOU state
that Germany, while accepting in No
vember, 1918, the obligation to make
reparation,' did not understand such ac-
ceptance to mean that her responsibility
is involved either for the war or for
the acts Of the former government and
that IL is only possible to conceive Of
such obligation if its origin and cause Is
the responsibility Of the author of the
damage. You add that the German peo-
pie would never have undertaken war
Of aggression.
"Yet, in the note from Secretary of
State Lansing OF Nov 3, 1919, which
you approve of and advise in favor of
your contention, it is stated that the
obligation to make reparation arises out
of 'Germany's aggression by land, sea
and air
CAS- the German government did not
at the time make any protest against
this allegation, it thereby recognized it
as well founded, Therefore. Germany,
recognizing in 1918, implicitly but clear
ly, both the aggression and her respon-
sibility.
ut is too late to seek to deny them
to-day.
1T would be impossible, YOU state fur
ther, that the German people should be
regarded as the accomplices Of the faults
committed by the former German gov
erument' However, Germany has never
claimed, and such declaration would
have been contrary to all principles of
international law, that modification of
its political regime or a change in the
governing personalities would be suffi-
cient to extinguish an obligation already
undertaken by any nation. She did not
act upon the principle she now contends
for either in 1871 as regards France
after the proclamation of the republic
hoi III IOlf ~ lNSdlu 10 huSSld dIbeI
the revolution which abolished the czar-
ist regime.
Finally, you ask that the report of
the commission on responsibility be com
municated to you. In reply we beg to
say that the allied and associated powers
consider the reports of the commissions
set up by the peace conference as docu-
ments Of an internal character which
cannot be transmitted to you.
accept Mr.. Chairman, etc.
(Signedl &c. Clemenceau."