Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-26
NOW Up TO THE
ALLIED MISSIONS
Germans Say They Are Not
Hindering Work on the
Treaty Demands

Paris, Dec. 26.-The final date of
the repeatedly postponed exchange
OF ratifications of the treaty of Yer
sailles now depends upon the speed
with which the Allied missions in
Germany can verify the German
figures of available floating dock
tonnage demanded by the, Allies as
compensation for the sinking of the
German warships at Scapa Flow.
The Associated Press was informed
to this effect at the headquarters
of the German peace delegation.
Baron Won Lorsner, head of the
German representatives, said he
thought this would take at least
fortnight, if not longer, in view of
the difficulties of transportation in
Germany and the detail involved in
verifying the figures.
"A decided misunderstanding is
reflected in the Paris press during
the past two days regarding my pro-
1ected trip to Berlin. which L subse-
quently abandoned" he said. My
object was to hurry. rather than de-
lay. the putting of the Versailles
treaty into effect. From Monday
night until Wednesday afternoon at
WV " NioNN NdS utpli iNtb VI dhS
communication with my government
by either telegraph or telephone. in
consequence of which Berlin had no
knowledge of the Entente note or
of the verbal communication given
on this subject by NJ. Dutasta (sec-
retary of the peace conference) until
this morning.
Favor Ear.y Peace
81 thought that trip to Berlin
and n verbal explanation of the situ-
alton to the government would fa-
cilitate matters. The inference by
the French papers that the German
governm ent wanted to delay the eN-
change of ratitications is absolutely
unfounded. We want nothing more
than effective restoration of peace.
Peace means the repatriation or
our soldiers. prisoners in France
who are obliged to spend another
Christmas in captivity though hos
tilities have been suspended for
more than year.
The fact that Herr Won Simson
arrived in Paris last Sunday to start
for putting the treaty
into effect proves that we had no
intention to delay matters"
Regarding the Entente note, Baron
Won Lersner said it's tenor sur
prised him. as it seemed so little in
accord with the progress of the ne
gotiations.
THE Paris press" he said, "eSen
readiness to deliver over
all the harbor material we could
spare without endangering our eco
nomic existence as compensation for
the Scapa Flow sinkings, and fore
cast an early agreement on this
question. If we did not get that far.
it was not our fault. Our experts
have not been asked to talk the mat
ter over since n week ago.
Baron Won Lersner asserted that
according to the verbal communica-
ton of NJ. Dutasta at the time of the
delivery of the note, the Entente
made a diminution in the port tom
mage demanded, conditional upon !
of Germany's claim that
the Entente estimates of the harbor
material available were erroneous.
French Stories Disloyal. Charge
Il want to say in this connection"
he continued, that the statements
in the French press that we were
and gave out wrong figures
on this tonnage is absolutely un-
This the investigation
would prove. I promised NJ. Dutasta
to ask my government to give all
facilities for such investigation, and
have mo doubt that they will be ac-
corded at once.
I'VE both agreed that it should be
possible in short time to verify our
statements and come to a definite
agreement regarding harbor ma
terials to be delivered by Germany.
[ hope that our expectations will
soon be fulfilled and that peace will
finally be put into effect.
After the chief of the German
delegation had informed NJ Dutasta
that he thought il advisable to go to
Berlin, communication by special
wire was restored according to the
given out at the head
quarters of the German delegation
and it was decided to telegraph the
note and verbal communication,
which, taking into consideration the
time for coding, transmission and
DECIDING, could not come to the
knowledge of the German govern
ment before the morning of Decem-
Der %.