River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-06-05


Germany's Sovereignty Abolished.
I'm other spheres also Germany's
sovereignty is abolished Her chief
waterways are subjected to interna-
tional administration, she must con-
struct in her territory such canals and
such railways as her enemies wish.
She must agree to treaties, the con-
tents of which are unknown to her;
to be concluded by her enemies with
the new states on the east, even when
they concern her own functions. The
German people is excluded from the
league of nations, to which is entrusted
all work of common interest to the
world.
"Thus must a whole people sign the
degree for it's own prescription, nay,
it's own death sentence.
Germany knows that she must
make sacrifices in order to attain
peace. Germany knows that she has,
by agreement, undertaken to make
these sacrifices, and will go in this
matter to the utmost limits of her
capacity.
Counter Proposals Submitted.
"One.-Germany offers to proceed
with her own disarmament in advance
Of all other peoples, in order to show
that she will help to usher in the new
era Of the peace of justice. She gives
up universal compulsory service and
reduces her army to 100000 men, ex-
cept as regards temporary measures.
She even renounces the warships
which her enemies are still willing to
leave in her hands. She stipulates,
however, that she shall be admitted
forthwith as state with equal rights
into the league of nations. She stip-
ulates that a genuine league of ma
lions shall come into being embrac-
ing all peoples of good will, even her
enemies of today. The league must
be inspired by a feeling Of responsible
ity towards mankind and have at it's
disposal a power to enforce it's will
sufficiently strong and trusty to pro-
.tect the frontiers Of it's members.
Territorial Questions Discussed.
'Two.-In territorial questions Ger
many takes up her position unre-
program. She renounces her sover-
eign right in Alsace-Lorraine, but
wishes free plebiscite to take place
there. She gives up the greater part
Of the province of Posen, the district
incontestably Polish in population, to-
gether with the capital. She is pre-
pared to grant to Poland, under inter-
national guarantees, free and secure
access to, the sea by ceding free ports
at Danzig, Konigsberg and Memel, by
an agreement regulating the naviga-
ton Of the Vistula and by special rail
way convention. Germany is pre-
pared to ensure the supply Of coal for
cially from the Saar region, until such
time as the French mines are once
more in working order. The prepon-
derantly Danish districts of Schles-
wig will be given up to Denmark on
the basis Of plebiscite. Germany
demands that the right Of self-deter-
mination shall also be repeated where
the interests Of the Germans in Aus
tria and Bohemia are concerned.
s'She is ready to subject all her col
ones to administration by the COM
munity of the league of nations if she
is recognized as the mandatory.
Prepared to Make Payments.
Three.-Germany is prepared to
make payments incumbent on her in
accordance with the agreed program
of peace up to maximum sum of
100, 000, 100000 of gold marks, 10000
100000 by May 1, 1926, and the balance
e(80, 00O,00O,000) in annual payments
without interest. These payments
shall in principle be equal to a fixed
percentage of the German imperial
and state revenues. The annual pay
ments shall approximate to the for
mer peace budget. For the first 10
years the annual payments shall not
exceed 1000, 100000 of gold marks
year. The German taxpayer shall not
be less heavier burdened than the tax
payer of THE most heavily burdened
state among those represented on the
reparation commission.
Germany presumes in this connec-
ton that she will not have to make
any territorial sacrifices beyond those
mentioned above and that she will
recover her freedom on economic
movement at home and abroad.
Cooperate in Reconstruction.
"Four.-Germany is prepared to de-
vote her entire economic strength to
the service of reconstruction. She
wishes to cooperate effectively in the
reconstruction of the devastated re-
gions of Belgium and northern France.
To make good the loss in production
Of the destroyed mines in northern
France; up to 100000 tons of coal
will be delivered annually for the
first five years and up to 100000 tons
for the next five years. Germany will
facilitate further deliveries of coal to
France, Belgium, Italy and Luxem-
burg.
Germany is moreover prepared to