The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-26
ALLIES TELL HUNS
WARSH|P SINKING
IS PEACE BREACH
CIemenCeau. in Note to Ger
mans, informs Them Per-
sons Responsible Will Be
Punished.

-
PARIS June 26.-Germany has been
allies that they possess the right TO
punish the persons responsible for the
destruction OF German ships and TO
collect reparation for the loss. The
sinking of the fleet is denounced as
violation Of the armistice and a de-
lberate breach in advance of the con-
ditions of peace.
When the investigations have been
completed, the note states, the allies
will exact 1.-The necessary reparation."
The letter sent to the German peace
delegates follows:
June 25, 1919.
Mr.. President: The terms of the
armistice signed by Germany on the
eleventh of November, 1918, provided as
follows:
Article %. The German surface
warships which shall be specified by
the allies and the United States shall
forthwith be disarmed and thereafter in
termed in neutral ports, or, failing shem.
the allied ports designated by the allies
and the United States. They shall there
remain under supervision by the allies
and the United States, only care and
board
Admiral Blamed,
"On June 2t the German warships
which had been handed over to the
allled and associated powers, at anchor
IN the roadstead al Scapa Flow with the
derman care and maintenance parties
on board provided In the armistice, were
sunk by these parties under the orders
OF the German admiral in command,
according to the information which has
been collected and transmitted by the
~ Hish admiralty, The German admiral
u command of these parties Of the Ger
I.a
. I'D in the belief that the armjstice
7 fTlred on 5gne 81 at midday ard con-
sequently in his opinion the destruction
terms 10
In law, Germany by signing the
tered into an undertaking that the
shlps handed over by her should re-
main in the ports indicated by the
allied and associated powers and that
care and maintenance parties should be
left on board with such instructions
ano under such orders as would insure
thaI the arnlistice should be observed.
The sinking OF these ships instead of
their preservation as had been pro-
Vided for, and in breach of the under
taking embodied In article 81 OF the
armistice against all acts of destruction.
constituted at once violation of the
srnistlce, the destruction of the pledge
handed over, and an act of gross had
Iaith toward the allied and associated
powers.
The admiral in command of the care
ana maintenance parties belonging 10
.ne German naval forces has while
recognizing that the act was breach
or the armistice, attempted to Justify
1t by alleging his belief that the ar.
mlsllce had come to an end,
Ihis alleged justification is not we'll
louhded, as under the communication
addressed aSo to the German delegation by
the allied and associated powers m
the 10th of June, 1918, the armistice
would only terminate on refusal to
sign the peace treaty or if no answer
We're returned on the 23d of June nj 7
O'Clock According to international law.
as embodied particularly in articles 40
sh ana Al OF the regulations annexed to
tue tourth Hague convention OF 1907
every serious violation of the armistice
by one of the parties gives the other
party the right to denounce 1t and even
IN case Of emergency to recommence
hostilities at once.
| violation Of the terms of the armi-
stice by individuals, acting on their
own initiative, only confers the right
| OF demanding the punishment OF these
| offenders and, II necessary, indemnity
for the losses sustained II will, there
fore, be open to the allied and asso-
ciated powers to bring before mill
tary tribunal the persons responsible
| Tor these acts Of destruction, so that
| the appropriate penalties may be i'm
| posed Furthermore, the incident gives
the allied and associated powers right
to reparation for the loss caused, and
4 in consequence a right to proceed to
such further measures as the said pow :
| ers may deem appropriate.
| Lastly, the sinking OF the German
fleet is not only violation of the armi-
stice, but, can only be regarded by the
allied and associated powers as a de-
| liberate breach in advance of the con-
ditions communicated to Germany and
now accepted by her. Furthermore. the
| incident Is not an Isolated act The
| burning or permission for the burning
4 Of the French flags which Germany
was to restore constitutes another de-
! liberate breach in advance of these
same conditions.
I'm consequence the allied and asso-
ciated powers declare they take note
of these signal acts OF bad faith, and
that when the investigations have been
they will exact the necessary repara-
ton. 1t is evident that any repetition
of acts like those must have a very
unfortunate effect upon the future OPP
Grafton of the treaty which the Ger
mans are, about to sign.
Is years period Of occupation which
the treaty contemplates, They have
made complaint that admission to the
league of nations may be too long de-
ferred. How can Germany put forward
such claims II she encourages or per
mits deliberate violations OF her writ
ten engagements? She can not complain
should the allies use the full powers
conferred on them by the treaty par
ticularly article 429. II she on her side
deliberately violates its provisions.
tSigned) 20. CLEMENCE.lU."
1