The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-06-19

city. Its inhabitants will be autOno-
nous and do not come under Polish
rule, Clemenceau's covering letter eX-
plains that the city forms no part Of
the Polish state.
Poland however, by the treaty, has
been given certain economic rights"
In Danzig, and the city itself has
been severed from Germany because
In no other way was it possible to at
tain that free access to the sea"
which Germany promised to concede
to Poland.
The German reply said:
"Danzig, a purely German town,
must remain with the German empire.
To make it a free city and to sur
render certain of It's rights to Poland
would lead to violent opposition and a
continuous state of war in the East. "
The Germans, however, offered to
make Danzig, as well as Koenigsberg,
free ports.
Covers Foes Sins.
Like a judge who, before modifying
a sentence, wishes to impress upon
the prisoner the full weight of his
guilt and pound into his brain the
fact that the lenlency is really unde-
served, Georges Clemenceau, premier
of France, explains the revised treaty
handed to Germany, lashes the van
quished empire with n bitter, singing
indictment, lest It's former or present
masters, deeming clemency weakness
rally once more for an attempt to turn
defeat into triumph.
Historys most momentous peace
document, now revised beyond revi-
sion, is thus accompanied by the most
aggressive, the most flaying diplomatic
note on record. 1t Is indeed a cover
ing" letter, for 1t covers all the sins Of
the foe, all his dark deeds before and
during the war, and all the reasons
why he has been condemned and must
suffer for those sins. 1t is, at the same
time, sharp rebuke to the Teuton
peace parliamentaires for utterly fall
ing to understand the position in
which Germany stands today"
This fact. the French premier OK
plains, forces him to open his letter
with "a clear statement Of the judg-
ment of the world which has been
formed by practically the whole civil
lied mankind" Then he enumerates,
not under so many headings, but in
smoother and eloquent sequence, the
long series of crimes to which, he says,
the foe must turn if he seeks the rea
son for the stern justice of the peace.
Germany, he says, tried for years
before the war to dictate and tyran-
nize over a subservient Europe.
She taught her subjects the doctrine
that might was right.
She armed feverishly by land and
sea and spread the falsehoOd that her
neighbOrs were jealous of her.
She developed widespread system
of espionage and intrigue all over the
world.
She kept Europe in a ferment by
threats of violence.
She encouraged Austria to declare
war on Serbia at AS hours notice, fully
aware that the conflict would become
general,
She conducted the war in a savage
and inhuman manner.
She violated Belgian neutrality and
Systematically terrorized that coun-
try's inhabitants.
She was the first to use poison gas.
She was the first to bomb and shell
towns.
She struck at her enemies women
md children.
She started the submarine campaign,
with its piratical challenge to inter
national law"
She "drove thousands of men, won,-
en- and children with brutal savagery
into slavery in foreign lands"
She allowed barbarities to be prac-
ticed against her prisoners Of war
from which the most uncivillzed peo-
pie would have recoiled."
She caused the deaths of 100000
men, and injuries and sufferngs to 90
100000 others.
Lust FOR Tyranny.
She did all thls-"to crafty her lust
for tyranny by resort to war" and her
conduct sis almost unexampled in hui
nan history"
Then Clemenceau continues:
"The allied and associated powers be-
ieve that they will be false to those
who have given their all to save the
freedom Of the world IL they consent
10 treat war on any other basis than
as crime against humanity and
light"
He SCOTS at the German delegates
charge that their country was tricked
nto laying down her arms by set Of
which was not lived up to.
These principles are lived up to fully
and palnstakingly, the French pre-
nier AYERS. and quotes from speeches
~ himself, President Wilson and Pre-
niers Lloyd George and Orlando to
show that the Germans must have
Known what to expect, Among 9TH
,rs, he cites Mr.. Wilson's famous
force without stint or limit" declar-
ltion in April, 1918.
Justice is the only possible basis
or the settlement of the accounts of
his terrible war. Justice Is what the
German delegation asks for, and he
lays that Germany has been promised.
But II must he justice for all.
Somebody must suffer for the cOnse-