Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-21
NEXT PEACE
MOVE RESTS
WITH BERLIN
Accuse Huns of Acting in
Bad Faith in Picking
Peace Delegates.

Paris, April 21.-The German
reply TO the ultimatum of the
council of four that il will not
receive any German delegation
not fully empowered TO conduct
and negotiate peace is awaited
anxiously in Paris peace
circles. The next steps toward
peace depend on the German
reply.
The announcement by Count Won
Brockdorff- -Rantzau, the German
foreign minister, that his govern
ment would send delegates without
powers to receive the peace terms
and transmit them to the German
government, has contributed great-
ly, the newspapers say, toward an
alliance between France, Great
Britain and America The French
press insists that negotiations look
ing toward such an alliance are
still in progress.
In spite of the warning sent to
Germany by the peace conference
that the delegates she sends to the
peace congress must not be mere
messengers" Germany has selected
rather unimportant persons to go
to Versailles. Berlin advices say
that these men will have power
merely to receive the peace terms
and take them to Berlin. The Ger
man cabinet will then either accept
or reject the terms, it is said, or
submit them to the people.
DISPATCHES from Paris, however,
reflect a rather positive attitude on
the part of the peace conference,
which it is said, will inform Ger
many that the men she sends 10
Versailles Shust have power TO sign
the treaty of peace. IL is said that
the first acting of the meeting to be
held April % will be to demand evi-
dence from the Germans that they
possess such powers.
Paris Indignant
This mornings newspapers see
in Germany's sending "couriers'
instead of delegates of proper
standing to Versailles, nothing but
evidence of bad faith and a trans
parent maneuver to gain time.
The Echo d Paris says:
The allied and associated gov
cept subordinate peTsonages, and
Germany will be Immediately mott
fed that she must send delegates
equipped with full powers TO con
cIude peace. Upon their arrival a.
Versailles the first step will be to
demand from them evidence that
they hold those powers"
The Gaulois, indignant at what Il
Germany's coup de theatre which
it regards as a refusal to sign the
treaty, says:
'"The next word will be with
Marshal FOCh.'
Grave doubts were expressed to-
day whether the perfected peace
treaty would be presented to the
German representatives the coming
Friday. While the treaty will be
communicated to them in sub
stance, it was said in we'll informed
quarters that it would be physically
impossible to prepare the document
in its complete, final form, in the
four days remaining.
Fears are felt in some quarters
that this unexpected development
may affect the program for the
meeting planred for Friday at Yer
saiIles. If the German government
in reply to the ultimtum of the
council. raises a controversy regard
ing the status of their delegates and
the procedure to be followed. it is
conceivable that the arrival of their
delegates at Versailles may be post
poned.
To Act as Messengers.
Berlin, Sunday. April 20.-The
German emissaries will merely
have instructions to carry the
peace document back to Berlin. The
question whether the present gov
ernment will assume the responsi-
bility of accepting or rejecting the
terms or whether it will present
them for a national referendum is
a matter of conjecture. Official
opinion, so far as adduced tonight.
was opposed to the declaration Ct .
referendum and in favor Of
pre-emptory declination of peace +
terms based on any other PROPOSE
tion than Mr. Wilson's platform. as
the present temper of the German
workingmen is anti-capitalisuc anu
anti-imperialistic and the bour-
geoise is in full accord with the
proletariat.
The present government, it has
been learned, is not flirting. with
the idea of plebescite, as it would
much rather negotiate peace and
set the country at work But il is
also conscious of the fact that
peace in which Germany was
humbled would precipitate storm
Of national resentment which no
cabinet could weather.
WILSON'S SHIP AT BREST.
Brest, April 21.-(By the Asso-
ciated Press. The United States