New-York tribune., 1919-08-02
rb;te Book" Published at
Weimar Shows linden
hurs and Kaiser Held Out
,oIast to Retain Conquests
! MARSHAL Is Overruled
couference at Spa, Aug. Ia,
1918, Was Turning Point
Toward Wilson's Policies

BERLIN, Aug. (By The Associated
o..ssl.-A "White Book" was pub
s,hed at weimar yesterday contain
40 all the documents relating to the
sr;od from August IS to November
!, last. dealing with the peace offer
;, the German government and the
rmistice
In preface the government says
decided upon publication of the
,eument because the people want to
NOW the truth.
One of the most important negotia-
ions dealt with by the White Book
!, the conference in which Emperor
william took part at Spa on August
a. 1918, at which it was decided that
General Ludendorf's declaration that
he war could be Won was wrong, and
nat an understanding between Ger
/ many and the enemy must be reached.
! Field Marshal Won Hindenburg and
Dr.. Michaelis. the Imperial Chancellor,
taought it would be possible for the
Germans TO remain on French terri
.ory. and thus retain 2 pledge for the
peace negotiations, the documents
show. The previously held belief that
the attempt to start negotiations must
90 made through neutral YVES al
.ered by this conference. Field Marshal
Yon Hindenburg still was opposed to a
direct appeal to the enemy. while
sanctioning the idea of woring through
a neutral power. Meanwhile, Austria
had to be consulted because of the
special plans she was making.
Appeal Made to [. s
September 81. me book reveals. de-
reloped decision to appeal directly
10 the United States. Admiral Won
Iintze, VINO then was Foreign Secre-
AIRY, is quoted as replying to a ques-
ion on that date as follows:
"On order Of his majesty and by
agreement with the Chancellors at
Vienna and Constantinople, l advise
an offer Of peace be made on the
basis Of President Wilson's fourteen
points, ana that he be invited to call
a peace conference in Washington,
hlltl 4L-- Gil 444l4t4tt-es u q III
tice. Ii our allies agree the newly
forming German government will find
proper way to get the offer to
President Wilson
kilograms on the subject were sent
% Vienna and Constantinople the same
Jay.
The affair entered new phase at
his point, for the army leaders, who
previously had insisted upon their own
Strength, now demanded that the mill
tary situation be relieved Instantly by
peace. On October / several telephone
messages and kilograms arrived from
great headquarters saying it was un-
certain what might happen at the front
from moment TO moment and that a
break was imminent General Luden-
dorff declared that the peace offer must
De dispatched instantly, while he held
Sp the army's retreat for forty eight
hours
Prince Max Against Peace
Prince Maximilian, OF Baden. OF
October appeared before the partY
leaders, Of the Reichstag and opposed
any action toward peace by hat body
because the military situation wa
eiieiedi anu ne LedfSQ tN&l StcE &CLiJH
Eould affect the developments IN
iavorably. He said he had been Of
iered the Chancellorship on October
on condition that he would make
peace immeda ely.
General Ludendorf' also on October
asked for d summary Of the pro-
posed peace note and telephoned his
nggestions regarding it, The note 10
The United States was formulated at
great headquarters on the night Of
October 81.
Prince Maximilian declared he
fought against the note because he
considered the time premature. He
'ad ne though. General Ludendortf
mad been affected by a case of nerves
and that the situation was not SO
serious as the general painted it.