The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-06-25
WEDNESDAY. JUNE rs. 1919
A "FRIENpLY" NATION

natures to the Peace Treaty, doc
ument drawn up by the allied powers
which will, if carried out, eradicate
Germany from the list of the worlds
evil influences. SO much, the national
assembly at Weimar has agreed to do
voting its agreement in spirit of
gloom and depression because it saw
no other way out of the situation that
confronted their nation. But more
than mere signatures are required to
make treaty the power that it is in
tended to be. They must be accom-
panied by the proper spirit of the
people.
A treaty is an agreement drawn up
between two or more powers which
is solemnly ratified by the represent
atives of those powers and which
contains negotiations and obligations
which every sovereignty concerned
is honorably bound to respect and
fulfill. In the letter sent to the Peace
Conference by the government at We
imar declaring the intention to sign
the terms Internationally, there is not
the slightest indication that the Ger
man people or the German government
feel the least atom af contrition for
the calamity they brought into the
world nor is there any evidence that
they intend to carry out the obliga-
tons that they have voted to sign.
This letter is the final buster OF a
people still filled with arrogance and
treachery,
The author or authors OF this letter
use the words, in CONSERVATION at
this last communication of the allied
and associated governments. I'VE
cannot imagine how the members Of
the Peace Conference could ever send
a communication which would cause
such horror and dismay to the hearts
OF nation populated with baby kill
ing barbarians. In this shocking note,
the allies merely refused Germany a
As hour extension to agree TO sign
the terms. 1t Is easy to contemplate
how much time the allies would have
had to agree to terms had the Huns
Seen victorious in the struggle that
they melted, began. and carried out,
but which they failed to bring to a
conclusion satisfactory to them.
selves.
There are other pathetic appeals
in the German note. It says that the
allied powers, "aim at divesting the
German people OF their honor" and
goes on to remark that mo act OF
n violence can touch the honor Of the
German people" As far as divestine
these wretched people Of their honor
4 is concerned, at this particular time
1t would be a remarkable feat to per
= form. No one can be Invested OF any
A thing he does not possess and the
n German people have so effectually
a Invested themselves OF their honol
Y in the pursuance for four years o.
ruthless, cruel and unspeakable pol
icies that the nation now stands be
4 the world stripped of every vestig'
of honor and decency naked fig
ure of brutality.
3 That no act Of violence can toucl
y the honor of the German people 1
q an undeniable truth. No act of an.
nature could ever penetrate tn
+ depths into which the German homo
has fallen
yielding to superior force --th'
German Republic declares that II |
ready to accept and sign the peac
conditions imposed" This is tn
dying kick OF the sword.rattling e'
ponents OF Attila. But of how niue
d value is treaty that Is accepted i
the attitude with which this documen
is to be signed an attitude total
free from humiliation. II is almost l
the form of a challenge. The Germa
nation is accepting the imposed col
ditions in the same willing spirit tina
man surrenders his watch when h
is looking down the barrel of loat
ed revolver.
After the delegates of the Germa
+ Commission have signed their name
at Versailles, they are to marc
through the Hall of Mirrors side b
side with the delegates from the a
n lied powers. signfying that German
is once more at peace with the worl
and that II is a friendly natio
Since the hostilties ceased on No
ember 18th, the Germans have M
evinced any such friendliness, nS
n have they sought in any way to vi
n the trust and confidence of the re
OF the world. 1t is only fair to co
clude that even though half a dos
German signatures may be seen Q
fixed to the Treaty of Peace and peal
Is formally declared to exist, the n
lions OF the world have a daugoro
power in their midst and 'frien