Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-17

| of peace, which was in turn followed
| by the Germans in their counter pro-
| posals. 1t says that it cannot be dis
| puted that the allied statesmen have
never expressed a desire for any other
peace than one which would undo the
wrbngs of 1914. vindicate justice and
| international right and reconstruct
! the political foundations of Europe,
which would give liberty to all its
peoples and therefore the prospect OF
1 a lasting peace.
| The German claim of a contradiction
| between the terms of the treaty and
! President Wilson's promise of justice
I, to the German people is met by quo :
| tation demanding the destruction OF
! every arbitrary power everywhere
| that can separately. secretly and OF
it's single choice disturb the peace OF
! the world"
II. similarly. it says, the Germans
claim contradiction in territorial
j claims. it must be borne in mind that
! this is not the result of any purpose
| to act unjustly toward Germany. but
rather of the fact that an appreciable
amount of German territory consisted
of districts unjustly appropriated by
| her in the past
| The economic objections are an
swered by the statement that Ger
many'S economic condition is intact
and in no wise crippled by devasta-
! ton like that brought upon the al
| l1eQ people. Inc HERMAN
| that peoples have been bartered about
| is declared to be similarly unfounded.
as every territorial settlement has
been reached after most careful and
! labored consideration of racial, relig-
| ious and linguistic factors and the
legitimate hopes of peoples long
under alien rules.
Rights in a League.
H. @
not been invited to join the league of
! nations. it says. cannot find justifica-
| ton in any of President Wilson's dec
arations. for he carefully laid down
| that such admission was possible
| only after Germany had proved her
! character.
With regard to the league of ma
/ lions. tits stated that the allied and
! associated powers have never had
the intention of definitely excluding
Germany or any other power from
membership. and that every country
whose government has proved it's sta
bility and its desire to observe inter-
| national obligations will be support
ed in it's demands for admission. 1t
adds that in Germany's case the
| events of the past five years prove
the need of a definite test. the length
of which will depend on the acts of
the German government, especially
toward the treaty.
The inclusion in the covenant of
| the German proposals regarding eco
! nomic questions is considered unnec-
| essary. The allied and associa ted
powers will guarantee protection I'M
der the league of German minorities
! in coded territorities and intend to
open negotiations Immediately for a
general reduction of ornaments as
provided in the covenant, in the eX-
pectation that Germany carries out
a nY nv,fey fyn -
Part 3 of the detailed reply deals
with European political clauses. 1t
says the territories of Eupen and NAL
medy have continued in close relation
with Belgium. despite a century of
Prussianization. and that the reunion
! seems justified. The German claim
for a neutralized Moresnet is wholly
justified. The communal woods in
Prussian Moresnet are awarded to
Belgium In partial compensation for
the destruction of Belgian forests.
With regard to Schleswig, the reply
says the plehiscite in northern Schles-
wig promised by Germany, but never
granted. is now assured. on the re-
quest of Denmark and the people con-
cerned. The territory as far as the
Elder and the Schlei is to be evacu-
ated by the Germans and administered
on the spot, and at the end Of fifteen
years will be free to- choose its own
sovereignty.
Alsace-Lorraine Plebiscite.
Concerning Alsa ce-Lorraine. the re-
ply says a plebiscite there cannot be
admitted. because the whole purpose
of the provisions in regard to these
provinces has been. so far as possible
to repair the injustice committed in
1871 and to restore the situation then
prevailing. as far sasa4t is possible.
after fifty years of suffering.
1t is added that the will of the
inhabitants has been amply attested
by the unanimous protests against
annexation. voiced by their represent
atives at Bordeaux in 1871 and re-
peated many other times since. even
at the cost of their own tranquility
and interests. There is no intention.
says the reply. of applying the gen.
states taking over ceded territory
should bear part of the public debt of
the ceding state and pay for the pub
lie property, as it intended that
France should recover these provinces
without prejudice.
The other parts of the detailed re-
ply deal with the principles to be
followed In determining the eastern
frontiers of Germany. and concerning
Luxembourg, Austria and Russia. 1t
is stated that it has been determined
to re-establish the Polish state: that
the German observations regarding
Luxembourg require no answer be-
cause of Germany's violation of Lux
emburg's neutrality and Luxemburgs
denunciation Of the eastern union
regard to Russia are considered to
require a change in the treaty.
/ With regard to the Sarre region,