The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-06-26
BY EDWARD w. PickARD.


I'VE had better sign the treaty and
have done with ii. But whether we
sign it or not, the worst is yet to
come; and we refuse to cheer up"
That was apparently the attitude
of the greater part of the German peo-
pie on Friday, June 20, when this re-
view was written. However, at that
time it was impossible to forecast the
action that would be taken by the Ger
man government, and the news col
umns will tell whether the treaty was
signed or rejected. by Monday, June
%, at 9 40 p. m, Paris time, when the
time limit given the Germans expired.
Friday morning came the news that
the Scheidemann cabinet had fallen
and that Gustav Noske. minister of de-
Tense, was to become head of the new
government. This was taken to mean
that the treaty would be signed, as
Scheidemann had been the chief OPP
llieved that the rule Of Noske would
amount to a dictatorship. Another
story was that Bernstorff would sue
coed Brockdorff- Rantzau as head Of
the commission.
Disappointed. dismayed and thor
.oughly angered by the final refusal of
the allies to ameliorate to any marked
extent the terms imposed on them. the
Germans ragged impotently against
their fate. Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau and his colleagues on the
peace commission united In advising
the cabinet to refuse to sign the treaty,
the cabinet to refuse to sign the treaty.
In the national assembly at Wei
mar, where the treaty was to be con-
sidered, the majority socialists. IT was
believed, would vote for signing, and
it was believed the Catholic center
and independent socialist parties also
would finally agree to accept the terms.
Throughout the former empire
sentiment was diverse. The south
ern states, which would suffer most
from invasion, were in favor of yield
ing, while the northern provinces, es-
pecially East Prussia, were strongly
opposed to such a course. Naturally,
terly against the treaty, but that ele-
ment no longer rules in Germany.
N-s
Meanwhile, the allied nations, TAX
ing no chances, made every prepare
tion for immediate action In case of
rejection Of the treaty. They had Ger
many encircled by ring of guns and
bayonets and were ready to invade
from three sides. while on the north
the guns of their fleets would enforce
the week ended the British grand fleet
was on a war footing. The immense
dirigible R-34, which was about to
start across the Atlantic, was made
ready TO sail for the Baltic. and her
companion, R-33, set out on a cruise
that was to include the Kiel canal.
Land operations, carefully planned
by Marshal Foch and his colleagues,
called for swift advance by the Bel
gian and British forces through Essen
and the Ruhr district TO the fortress
OF Minden; by the Americans up the
valley of the Main TO the Bohemian
border, cutting Germany in two; by
the French to the fortress OF Ulm and
then to Nordlingen. outfianklng the
strong Rhoen mountain defenses. At
the same time according to the plan,
the Czecho- Slovaks would attack from
the south and the Poles from the east,
and II Is believed the great industrial
district of Silesia would thus be occu-
pied.
The allied command estimated the
available German forces at ny more