Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-16
GERMANS SEE sSLA VERY
IN VERSAILLES TREATY
Foes Reply to Conference Sho,un in Summary
of Reply Protests against Peace Terms and
Asks Verbal Negotiations

Paris, June 16.-The German reply
to the peace treaty submitted at Yer
sailles on May maintains that the
enemies of Germany have forsaken the
peace of justice to which they had
pledged themselves in the armistice ne
gOtiations for peace of might.
The reply. an official summary of
which was made public here yesterday
protests against the proposed terms in :
dividually and collectively, and demands
a return to the original agreements.
1t presses for verbal negotiations, and
states that Germany expects justice on
q basis of equality and reciprocity.
1.-THE reply follows the lines of the
summary of the German counter pro =
posals given out in Berlin at about the
time they were presented
The document covers 119 pages and
includes covering letter by Count Won
Brockdorff- Rantzau under date of May
%, which has already been published,
and a second section of comments fol-
lowing the main outline of the original
treaty draft. Two separate papers on
legal and financial questions are in
cluGed as part of the general reply. Both
English and French translations have
been furnished in pamphlet form, the
former totaling about 10000 words.
See Slavery for Germany
The reply begins with detailed
ANALYSIS of the legal basis of peace,
alleges n flagrant series of contradic-
tions to this basis and points out that
the results would be the complete en-
slavement Of the German people and the
BETRAYAL of all the worlds cherished
hopes of peace.
In the counter proposals Germany
demands immediate admission to the
league of nations as part OF the spirit
Of the armistice agreement and as neces,
sary for the acceptance of the proposed
military. naval and air terms. She then
analyzes the territorial changes de-
| mapded, claiming that the right OF self
determination has been willfully vlo'
lated throughout.
Germany bitterly assails the abolition
NJ Ali German rights outside of Europe
as irreconcilable with the preliminary
negotiations and as wholly impossible tc
great people, who not only have su
preme needs for markets and supplies
but who have shown themselves capable
of sharing the worlds task of colonial
ton.
Would Fix Own Reparation
Germany is wholly unable to accep
the reparations commission set up oI
the Allies as involving an infringement
of her sovereignty, but proposes co.
opertive German commission to worl
alongside it. She accepts responsibllit!
only for civilian losses in occupied Bel
eium and France and agrees to maxi
mum payments of 100, 900, 600 ,OOt
marks. provided the other terms as t.
colonies, overseas trade and territories
are accepted as she proposes.
AS to deliveries of ships, raw mate
rails and machinery. Germany can NEE
the Allied claims only in part, largel!
because of decreased production:
Germany demands that in the eco
nomic provisions she be treated on
basis of equality and reciprocity ant
not in the one sided way outlined. Sh'
agrees to freedom OF traffic on German
rivers and within Germany, but always
on condition that there be no interfer
ence with German sovereignty. Sim
ilarly with the renewal of treaties lapset
through the war. she expects reciprocal
treatment. rather than the assumption
by the Allies of the right to say wha
engagements are or are not to becom
operative again.
Object to Kaiser's Trial
The Germans refuse to'accept the tria
of the former German emperor, or t.
sanction his extradition from Holland
on the ground that no German subjec
can be brought before a foreign cour
without an established law or lega
basis. Similarly she cannot agree t.
extradite other subjects accused of vic
lations of the laws and customs of war
Instead, Germany proposes an inter