, 1919-05-15
Germany Considering the Treaty
Which Strips Her of Much
Land and All Power.
FRANCE WILL Be PROTECTED
Won Brockdorff-Rantzau and Associ-
ates Are Expected to Make coun-
ter Proposals-AIlied Council
Working on Terms for
Austria, Hungary and
Bulgaria.
BY EDWARD W. PIckARp.

1.-The time has come when we must
settle our account" said Clemenceau,
and thereupon he handed to the repre-
sentatives of Germany what he aptly
called a "book"-some $4,000 words of
peace terms to which Germany is re-
Quired to give adherence. When this
is done-indeed, whether or not 1t is
done-Germany stands shorn of vir-
tually all of her military and naval
power and of more than q million
square miles of territory. and economi-
cally and financially bound until she
has paid for the tremendous damage
she wrought In the var
Whether by intention or by accident,
the day was well chosen for the deliv-
cry to the Germans of the document
so fateful to them and their country.
1t was May z, the fourth anniversary
of n of their most shocking crimes,
the sinking of the Lusitania. The re-
ception of the delegates from Berlin
was deliberately cool and the proceed
ings Ia the Versailles palace were
marked by a stern Formally. There
was no smallest pretense of cordially
on the part of the representatives OF
the allied and associated powers, for
they felt none. "You have asked for
peace. We are ready to give you
peace" were Clemenceau's words. but
the peace offered will be as gall and
NORWOOD in the mouths of the Ger
mans.
Count Won Brockdorff- Rantzau, re-
plying for the enemy delegation, ad-
mitted the utter defeat of Germany,
but denied her sole culpability for the
war. He intimated plainly that Ger
many would put In a ounter claim for
damages BECAUSE of the loss of life
due to the blockade. and that in gen.
eral she would take her stand on Pres
ident Wilson's fourteen points in OPP
posing what she might consider oppres-
slve in the treaty. Indeed, 1t is clear
hat the Germans intend to pay much
more attention to those points than do
the allies. What this will avail them
is not difficult to forecast. Before get
ting the treaty they sale unofiicially
that they would sign 1t, but that Ger
many never would pay an indemnity.
by which they presumably meant penal
damages such as Bismarck exacted
from France in 1871. The treaty does
not call for the payment of an in
demnity, as such, but the Germans may
so consider some of the items of repa-
ration. In any event. their refusal to
sign, or their failure to carry u the
terms of the pact. has been or will be
provided for in the plans of the eco
nomlc commission of the allies. Pos
sibly the military will have something
to say and do, also.
nj. Clemenceau informed the Ger
mans that they would be allowed ff-
teen days In which to make inquiries
or ~"observations." In writing, to which
the allied council will make reply. af-
ter which the council will determine
the time within which the Germans
must give a final nswer AS soon as
the ceremony In the Versailles palace
was over Count Won B%rockdorff- Rant
Eau dispatched a copy OF the treaty by
aerial courier to Berlin for the consid-
Grafton Of the German cabinet and as
sembly.
The Germans maintained an ar
rogant air during the proceedings
Wednesday. and 1t was noted that
though NJ. Clemenceau stood while adj
dressing them, Won Brockdorff-Rantz
remained seated when he replied. This,
and the tone OF some of his utterances