Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-21
Peace Mission Wants Ex-
tension of Limit Fixed
by Allies.
FIRST LIMIT WILL
EXPIRE THURSDAY
Plead They Have Not Had
Time to Study Some Of Questions in
Treaty-Request May Be Granted
German Attitude on Reparations
Question Made Public, With clemsn-
ceau's Answer.


Paris, May 21.-Count Won Brock
dorff- Rantzau, head of the German
peace delegation, has asked an extern
sion of time for Germany to present
her reply regarding the terms of peace.
The count stated that further notes
were being prepared and that it would
be impossible to complete them by p.
m. Thursday, when the time limit Is
up.
1t is believed, says the Havas agency.
that the request for the extension Will
be- granted.
The note says the Germans desire
more time to study a number of ques-
tons IN the treaty which they have
not yet had an opportunity to exam
inc.
There is no official information re-,
garding the decision Of the allied and
associated powers on the request.
German Attitude On Reparations.
The peace conference last night
made public the text Of the German
notes regarding reparations and the
reply made by Premier Cleinenceau as
president of the conference. The Ger
man note reads:
"At Versailles, May Is, 1919. To his
excellency. NJ. Clemenceau. President
Of the Peace Conference: Sir: In
the draft Of the peace treaty submit
ted to the German delegates. part VIII.
concerning reparation. begins with
Article 231, which reads as follows:
U.rrho oil nd fu1
ments affirm and Germany accepts
the responsibility of Germany and her
allies for causing all the loss and dam
age to which the allied and associated
governments and their nations have
been subjected as a consequence of the
war imposed upon them by tho ag
gression of Germany and her allies
Now the obligation to make repara-
tion has been accepted by Germany by
virtue Of the note from Secretary OF
State Lansing. of Nov 5, 1918, inde-
pendently of the question of RESPONSE
bility for the war. The German dele
cation can not admit that there could
arise out Of a responsibility incurred
by the former German government in
regard to the origin of the world war
any right for the allied and associated
powers to be hdemnified by Germany
for losses suffered during the war.
"People Not To Blame"
"The representatives of the allied
and associated states have. moreover
declared several times that the German
people should not be held responsible
for the faults committed by their gov
ernments. The German people did not
will ho
! dertaken a war Of aggression. They
have always remained convinced that
this war was for them defensive
war"
"The German delegates also do not
share the view Of the allied and asso-
ciated governments in resa,d to the
origin of the war. They can not con-
slider the former German government
as the party which was solely or chief
ly to blame for the war. The draft of
the treaty of peace transmitted by you
contains no facts to prove this view.
The German delegates therefore beg
you to communicate to them the re-
port of the commission set up by the
allied and associated governments for
the purpose Of establishing the respon-
sibility Of the authors Of the war.
1
Pray accept, Mr.. President, the as
surances Of my high consideration.
CSigned) "Brockdorff- Rantzau."
Too Late, Says CIsmenceau.
It is too late for Germany to Geek to
deny both the aggression in the war
and her responsibility for it. This dec
laration is made by Premier Glenn
enceau, as president of the peace con-
ference, In replying to the German note
on reparations
The argument put forth by Count
Won Brockdorff- Rantzau was that Ger
many did net start a war of aggression.
that the German people believe they
had fought a defensive war and that
the present German government can
not be held responsible for the faults
of a former government"
i Premier C!emenceau takes uu the
German points and declares the Ger
man government last November made
no denials to the note Of Secretary
Lansing that Germany was the as-
gressor. He points out further that
Germany made the French government
Of 1871 and the Russian government OF
1917 responsible for acts or the I'M
peria! regimes in France and Russia.