New-York tribune., 1919-05-22
ociated Press. The statement con

That these consequences must
logically follow acceptance of the
peace conditions the American press
itself has recognized without ques-
ton. Toward them Germany took
the standpoint that acceptance OF
such conditions could not be de-
manded, and that the Entente was
unjustitied in imposing such de-
mands.
Claim on Entente
Germany has not only a moral
right to compliance with the general
promises made it, but a firmly
rounded, definite, clearlydefned
claim according to the basic rules
of international law, on all the
Entente powers, and especially on
the United States. A specific recog
milton Of the right Of Germany and
Of the German peoples to a peace
OF right, justice and reconciliation,
instead of the Photographed song of
hate which was written at Yer
sailles, is contained in the note Of
the American Secretary of State
Lansing of November 5, 1918.
'In it the Secretary of State mott
fed the Swiss Minister in Washing
ton Internationally that the estab-
lished basis of President Wilson's
fourteen points should be authori
tative for the peace conditions.
Secretary Lansing announced further
that the Entente governments, after
careful consideration, were also pre-
pared to recognize the conditions
set up by President Wilson as the
basis for the conclusion of peace.
Germany's Sole Asset
The declaration of rights emanat-
ing from these specific declarations
of all the Entente powers and the
United States constitutes Germany's
sole asset in the general moral
breakdown of all international polt-
tics which has found unsurpassahSS
expression in the Versailles terms.
Germany answers them with its
clearly juristic right in international
law. Toward the politico-moral
bankruptcy of Versailles the German
nation stands as creditor with
undeniable rights, and 1t is not in a
position to yield on this chief point.
Germany concluded peace on the
basis of President Wilson's fourteen
points, which all America had made
its own, and all America, every indi-
vdual, is responsible for the full
ilment Of its claims.
1T is not the German peoples busi-
ness to indicate how its rights shall
be realized by the fourteen points,
or especially by the note of Sec
retary Lansing. That, rather, is the
task of those who constructed the
fourteen points and brought them
to acceptance, thereby inducing Ger
many to lay down her weapons.
Look for American Aid
I'VE do NOT believe that President
Wilson, Secretary Lansing and the
American people can take other than
this German standpoint if they do
not wish to do that which Presi-
dent Wilson IN his message of De-
eember 4, 1917, condemned categoric-
ally when he said: 1--WE would dis
honor our own cause if we treated
Germany any other than justly and
in g non partisan manner, and did
not insist upon justice toward all,
no matter how the war ended. We
demand nothing which we are not
ready ourselves to admit
"And the German people demand
nothing more than that which Presi-
dent Wilson announced in this dec
laration. We demand nothing more
than that Americans place the four
teen points opposite the peace terms
We do not believe that any one in the
United States will then have the
courage to claim that there can be
found In the peace conditions one
single trace left of President Will
sons programme.
Duty Of United States to Act
"And here begins Americas dehn-
ite duty to step In. America either
must put its fourteen points
through or it must declare that it
IL unable to do so or that 1t does
not want to do so. so that in no case
may the world be led to believe that
America desires to have the peace
conditions count as President Will
sons fourteen points.
That IS our demand, to which we
cling, and we cannot imagine what
argument from the American side
would be effective. against it."
No such paragraph aa that quote<
In tho German Cabinet statement an
pears in President Wilson'S messag,
Of December A, 1917. The allusion
evidently, is to passage in his Bal
timore address Of April 6, 1918, tn,
frst anniversary Of the declaration O
war by the United States,
What Wilson Said
In that address the President said:
We have ourselves proposed no in,
Justice, no aggression. We are ready
whenever the final reckoning is made
TO be just to the German people, dea
ta'riy with the German powers, a.