Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-10
EBERT In PROCLAMATION
ASSAILINC TREATY SAYS
WHAT HUNS reply WILL BE
Says Answer VIII Pro
pose Pact on "Basis
of a Lasting Peace"

Paris, May 10.- CHaVas).-
The German cabinet council
has decided upon the wording
Of a note that Germany Will
present without delay 10 the
allies, according to a Zurich
dispatch. The note. il is add
ed, may be made public today.
Berlin, Friday. May 9.-Via
COpenhagen) )-Germany' reply
To The terms of peace presented
at Versailles on Wednesday VIA
be a proposal "fOr IA peace OF
right on the basis OF "A lasting
peace OF the nations according
10 Il proclamation 10 the Ger
man people. issued here today
by President Ebert.
The proclamation says the treaty
would deliver German labor TO
foreign capitalism for the indignIty
of wage slavery and permanently
fetter the young German republic"
The proclamation closes with an
appeal to the German people to
stand together, knowing no
parties, and to preserve with the
government mutual trust in tne
path of duty in the belief of the
triumph of reason and right"
Text OF Proclamation.
The text of the proclamation rol-
lows:
THE first reply Of the allies 20
the sincere desire for peace on the
part Of our starving people was the
laying down of uncOmmonly hard
armistice conditions. The German
people, having laid down its arms,
honestly observed all the obliga-
tions of the armistice, hard as they
were. Notwithstanding this our Cp-
poueuts for six months have con-
tinued the VAL by maintaining the
blockade. The German people bore
all these burdens. trusting in the
promise given by the allies IN their
note of November s, that the peace
would be a peace Of right on tne
basis of President Wilson's fourteCu
points.
Call Terms a Contradiction.
Instead of that the allies have
now given us peace terms which
are in contradiction to the promise
given. II is unbearable for the Ger
man people and is impracticabIe,
even If we put forth all our pow
ers. Violence without measure
would be done to the German peo-
pie. From such an imposed peace
fresh hatred would be bound TO
arise between the nations and in
the course Of history there would
be new wars. The world would be
obliged TO bury every hope OF a
league of nations liberatiug and
healing the nations and in securing
peace.
Means Wage Slavery, Claim.
The dismemberment and maug-
ling of the German people. the de-
livering of German labor to foreign
capitalism for the indiguity of wage
slavery and the permanent tettor-.
ing OF the young German republic
by the entente's Imperialism is the
aim of this peace of violence. The
German peoples government will
answer the peace proposal Of vIo-
lence with a proposal Of a peace
of right on the basis of a lasting
peace of the nations"
THE fact that all classes Of the
German people have been moved
so deeply testifes that the German
government is giving expression to
the united will of the German ma
ton. The German government viii
put forth every effort 10 secure for
the German people the same nation
al unity and independence and the
same freedom OF labor in econom-
ica' and cultural respects which the
allies want to give 10 an the peo-
pes of Europe, save only our peO-
pie.
Urges National Unity.
"Our nation must save itself by
its own actions, In view Cf This
danger Of destruction, the German
national government and people
must stand by each other. Knowing
no parties. Let Germany unite in "a
single win 10 preserve German uas
tionalitv and liberties. Every
thought and tho entire will or the
nation ought now 10 be turned TO
labor for the preservat on ana re-
construction OF the fatherland. The
government appeals 10 all Germans
IN this hard hour 10 preserve with
it mutual trrst in the path OF duty
and in the belief in the triumphs of
reason and of right"
The proclamation. which was is-
sued by the imperial president ana
the imperial government bears the
signature Of President Ebert