The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-07-18
GERMANS RAT|FY
PEACE TREATY
Resolution Adopted BY German
National Assembly
THE VOTE IS 2os TO It's
BIockade Now May Be Lifted -
Matthias Erzberger Calls For
Strict Economy To Meet
Nations Debts.

Weimar.-The German National As
sembly by vote of 208 to lis ratified
the peace treaty. The text of the
ratification resolution as introduced in
the National Assembly consisted OF
two clauses, reading as follows:
Text OF Resolution.
"The peace treaty between Germany
and the Allied and associated powers,
signed on June %, 1919, and the pro
tocol belonging thereto, as well as the
agreement relative to the occupation
Of the Rhineland, signed the same day,
are agreed to.
This law comes into force on the
day of its PRONUNCIATION"
Most of the ministers were present
at the meeting of the National Assem-
bly, and there was a full attendance
Of Deputies. DR.. Hermann Mueller.
Foreign Minister, in introducing the
Government bills, explained that the
fastening of the ratification order
would bring about the lifting of the
blockade.
1--WE are about to enter upon 40
years march through desert" he
said. II can find no other term for
the path of suffering fulfllment Of the
treaty prescribed for u.s.
DR.. Peter SPAIN, leader of the Cath
Ollie Center party. said: I'VE agreed to
the treaty under hard compulsion to
save ourselves from anarchy and to
preserve the Fatherland from internal
ruin"
Herr Kreizig, Socialist; Professor
Schuecking, Democrat; DR.. Traub, Ma
tional party, and Herr Kahl, Peoples
party, all violently protested the in
justice of the treaty, the impossibility
of it's fulfillment and declaring the day
Of Germany's liberation would come.
These speeches were greeted with
such turbulent applause and handicap
ping that the President Of the Assem-
bly,, Herr Fehrenbach, called attention
to the fact that hand-clapping was
against the rules and threatened to
have the galleries cleared The debate,
however, proceeded with similar
speeches by other members and SINH
lar applause.
The National party introduced an
amendment in favor Of ratifying with
the express reserve that the sanction
of international law experts of repute
should first be obtained concerning ar
ticles, 227 to $50, relating to penalties.
and that a neutral court should be
created to investigate the responsible
ity for the war.
In the course OF the debate President
Fehrenbach protested against Alsace-
Lorraine being torn from Germany. He
said that the treaty of 1871 simply
made good what had been taken from
Germany $50 years before. He hoped
that the people Of Alsace-Lorraine
would preserve their German char
acter, customs and civilization.
May Lift Blockade.
Ratification of the peace treaty by
the German National Assembly re-
moves all doubt of the acceptance for
the terms by Germany.
The National Assembly by ratifying
the treaty makes it possible for the
Allied and associated powers to raise
the blockade. Official notification was
sent Germany June 20 that the block
ade would be raised when the treaty |
was ratified. Placing this condition on
the raising of the blockade was looked !
upon in Peace Conference circles as a |
sure plan for securing speedy ratif1ca-
tion by Germany.