The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-17
FOCR AND ERzBERtRG
Continued from Page one.)

4. That the allies aim was to rem
! der her defenceiess. frst and then
I crush her completely.
! 5, That the allies alone were re-
| sponsihle for Germany's inability to
1 fulfil the original armistice condt-
( tons.
s. That the allies themselves "syy-
Dramatically violated the armlstice
agreement"
7 Z, 1rhat F'rance @ms. ..srasany ss@
syrrn,Y. S-.xs ss.aste IxSss< Sssl4sx.-sS :;
rafrc e3Ti n At'@er4st-four hear rotiee4
One particularly lively dialogue
| between Foch and Erxberger. as re-
counted In the German press follows:
Reaches the Limit.
Erzberger: Germany has reached
the utmost limit of possibilities. We
must, therefore, reject any punitive
measures and demand a postponemerlt
of the date of delivery. Germany is
determined to fulfill the armistice
conditions scrupulously but the allies
on their part have systematically yio-
lated the armisticc agreement. I'm
hindered traffic and economic free
dom of movement between the &C.
cupied territories and the rest of Ger
many have been destroyed.
1--WE are particularly filed with in
diguation at the procedure of the
force OF occupation in Alsace-Lor-
man officials as well as of numerous
members of all professions and all
classes Of society. who In most cases
have been forced to leave within
twenty-four hours. without their be-
longings and without regard OF flu
ture chance OF existence, Further
more, the complete isolation or
! AIsa eel Lorraine from economic and
spiritual intercourse with the rest of
7 Z he s~{ts
| to the flames of indignation not only
! In northern and southern Germany,
| but among the old inhabitants OF
| Alsace- Lorraine themselves.
| In addition. the entire property Of
! Germans In Alsace- Lorraine has been
! conflscated: citizens of Alsace- l'or-
! rHine returning TO their native land
! have been deprived of their liberty
and all persons in the provinces who
were not citizens of France in 1871,
| either by their own adherence or by
i virtue of their ancestry. are treated as
| foreigners. despite the fact that
| Aisace- Lorraine must. until a decision
! is reached by the peace conference,
| absolutely be regarded as German.
| France Anticipates
| IAN measures taken by tbs French
! government in Alsace-Lorraine prove
| that France means to anticipate the
annex Alsace-Lorraine. without pay
| ing the slightest heed to the right of
| DIFFERENTIATION, so often and so
| noisily demanded"
| Foeh The explosions from Alsace-
Lorraine have nothing to do with the
| French government. These are purely
military questions. The military aim
| is the security of the allied troops.
| i refuse to accept either instruc-
! ton or criticism regarding measures
| of military nature. Meantime, ] re-
mind you OF the German conduct in
| Lille and Northern France"
! Erzberger; That was in the war
/ We ara now living in the period ot
an armistice."
| Foch: France Is not at peace with
| Germany. ! am soldier. When there
| Is war. there Is no peace. There is nc
| third condition"
Erzberger. THE third condition is
/ armistice. While the war was on.
personally transmitted through Ger
| man soldiers news to inhabitants OF
Lille regarding their relatives.
The least that could be done Is &c
ameliorate the hardshtps OF the people
of Alsace-Lorraine by lifting the
| postal blockade"
Foch: Let us drop this subject
stand by my declaration: A compariso,
| with Lille and Northern France woult
war in Alsace-Lorrains will be altered
| in no way whatever
| 81 ErzberRer: THAT is to be deeply re
GREETED. for only innocent people are
| suffering. and 1t can bring no advan,
tage 10 France"
clared:
| Germany refuses to become tn,
financial slave OF the entente"
| Foch's sharp answer to this was:
Il reject the insinuation that the
Inter allied finance commission ant
representatives of the French govern
ment deserve the charge of Bolshe
vism."
Hints mt BoI~he visus.
Erzherger. 81 am only citing facts
| And # is fact that IL we we're TO &C
cent the French financial condition.
| the situation in Germany would he
come such that a certain resemblance
to Eolshevism would be indisputa BILE
Foch These are armistice negotia
| tons and we are to deal here oni,
with war questions. not with lega
questions"
Erzberger: "Agreed-~that is A lega
question; we shall not negotiate a bou
it at all hereafter"
To this declaration Foch made n,
reply.
In the course of q lengthy speech
br. kfzte ger asked three questions o
Marshal Foch:
1. When viii you lift the block
ader Our political situation depend
largely upon the food question and TIL,
shortage is becoming worse daily. TIL,
German people has consented to be
come weaponiess. but il will not con
sent to becoming 6readless Hunge
would bring about a situation the con
sequences OF which even the allies can
not desire. ] warn you Not ever
the entente countries are invuInerabl,
III the face of the world revolution.
2. "Will the entente now enter Int
pledges with regard to the immedfat,
repatriation OF German prisoners7 tn,
regulation OF this question should b,
part of the preliminary peace
/ s. when will we be IN position I,
conclude preliminary peace. TIL,
Il German government has requested
more than six times = defnfte declara
ton regarding the conclusion of a pre-
liminary peace. No reply has beer
L made.
TO the force OF the victor oppos,
the eternal right of the German PEG
pie TO develop and prosper. This RICH
IS sacred and inviolable.'
Police Surprise Gamesters.
r. Policemen g. r. MCGEE ana Free