The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-05-21

Paris, May 21.-(A. P3-The peace
conference last night made public the
text of the German nore regarding
Preparations and the reply made by
Premier Clemenceau, as president of
the conference. a
assss Textsof German hose4
The German note reacs:
Versailles, May 13, 1919.
ITO His Excellency, M. Clemenceau,
President of the Peace Conference.
"Sr: In the draft OF the peace
treaty submitted to the German del
egates, Part VIII, concerning repara-
tion. begins with article z31, which
reads as. follows The allies and
associated governments affirm and
Germany accepts the responsibility
of Germany and her allies for caus
ing all the loss and damage TO which
the allied and associated govern
ments and their nationals have been
subjected as a consequence of the
war imposed upon them by the ag-
gression of Germany and ner allies.
Nov the obligation to make rep
aration has been accepted by Ger
many by virtue of the note from
Secretary of State Lansing, of Nov.
5, 1918, Independently of the ques-
ton of the responsibility for the war.
The German delegation cannot ad-
NIT that there could arise out of
responsibility incurred by the former
German government in regard to the
origin of the world war any right
for the allied and associates powers
to be indemnitied by Germany for
any losses suffered during the war.
THE representatives of the allied
and associated states have, moreover,
declared several times that the Ger
man people should not be held re-
sponsible for the faults committed by
their governments. The German
people. did not will the war and
would not have undertaken a war
of aggression. They nave always
remained convinced tnar this war
was, for them, a defensive war.
The German delegates 40 not
share the views of the allied and
the origin of the war. They cannot
consider the former German govern
men as the party which was solely
or chiefly to blame for the war. The
draft of the treaty Of peace ira s.
mitted by you contains no facts in
support of this view; no proof on
L
German delegates, therefore, beg YOU
to be so good as to communicate to
them the report of the commission
set up by the allied and associated
governments for the purpose of es-
tablishing the responsibility of the
authors of the war.
Pray accept, Mr.. President the
assurances of my high considerable
(Signed)
BROCKDORFF-R -RANTZAU."
Text of Clemenceau's Reply.
The text of the reply of premier
Clemenceau is dated May 20, 1919,
ana is as follows:
MI. Chairman-In your note of
May 13 you state that Germany.
Whlle accepting in November, 1878,
the obligation to make reparation,'
did not understand such an accept
ance to mean that her responsibility
was involved either for the war or
Tor the acts of the former German
government and that it is only pos
slpie to conceive of such an obliga-
tlon II its origin and cause is the re-
sponslbllity of the author of the dam
age. You add that the German peo-
pie would never have undertaken
war of aggression.
Yet, in the note from Secretary of
State Lansing of Nov. s. 1918, which
you approve of and advise in favor
of your contention, it is stated that
the obligation to make reparation
arises out of 'Germany's aggression
by land sea and air.
"As the German government did
not at the time make any protest
against this allegation. it thereby rec
ognized it as well founded.
Therefore. Germany recognized in
1918, implicitly but clearly, both the
aggression and her responsibility.
1T is too late to seek TO deny them
today.
1T would be impossible, you state !
further, that the German people should |
be regarded as accompiices of the faults |
by the former German gov
However Germany has never |
claimed. and such declaration would |
have been contrary TO all principles of
law, that a modification