Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-23
Gern,any's Plea.

Paris, May 2s.-The note from
Count Won Brockdorn .Rantzau, head
of the German peace delegation, re-
garding the economic. effect of the
peace treaty, was made public today.
seM MF President: have the honor
norP to Sc tho to Ssa, the rs
charged with the study of the effect
| of the conditions Of peace on the
situation of the German population as
follows:
% In the last two generations Ger
many has become transformed from
an agricultural to an Industrial state.
AS an agricultural state Germany
her quality of an industrial state she
could ensure the nourishment of
population of 67,0o0.0o0. In 1913 the
importation of foodstuffs amounted in
round figures to 100000 tons. Be
fore the war 100000 persons pro
vided for their existence in Germany
by foreign trade and navigation, eth
er in direct or an indirect manner,
by the use Of foreign raw material.
Would Surrender Ships.
According to the conditions Of
render her merchant tonnage and
ships in course of construction suit
able for overseas trade. German
shipbuilding yards will build for five
years in the first instance tonnage
destined for the Allied and associated
governments. Germany will, more
over, renounce her colonies, all her
overseas possessions. all her interests
and securities in the Allied and as
sociated governments and in their
colonies, dominions and protectorates:
will as an installment of the payment
for part of the reparation, be subject
to liquidation and may be exposed to
any other economic war measure
! which the Allied and associated pow
ers think fit to maintain.
Lose Important Land.
"'By the putting into force of the
territorial clauses of the treaty Ger
many would lose to the east the most
important regions for the production
OF corn and potatoes which would be
equivalent to the loss of 21 per cent
OF the total crop of those articles of
food. Moreover the intensity of our
agricultural production would dimin-:
ish considerably. On the one hand
the importation Of certain raw ma.
terial Indispensable for the produc-
, ton OF manure, such as phosphates,
would be hindered; on the other hand
this industry would suffer like all
The treaty provides for the loss OF al
most a third of the production Of our
coal mines. Apart from this de-
crease We are forced for ten years to
deliver enormous consignments Of
coal to various Allied countries.
Moreover, in conformity with the
treaty, Germany will concede to her
neighbors nearly three quarters OF her
mineral production and more thaA
three-fifths Of her zinc product.
After this diminution Of he
products, after the economic deprea
sion caused by the loss OF her coll
onies, Of her merchant feet and OF
her possessions abroad, Germany
would not be in q state to import from
abroad sufncient quantity or raw
material. An enormous part OF Ger.
man industry would therefore in.
evitably be condemned to destruction.
At the same time: the necessity OF im-
porting foodstuns would Increase cons
siderably, whilst the possibility Of sak-s
tsfying that demand would dtminiah
In the same proportion. s3 Il:
AT the end Of short time Ger
many would therefore not be III = Do
sition to- give bread and work TO her.
numerous millions Of tnhabita4ts N1ho
-