Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18
Signing Would Be Death Warrant.


shevist front. These troops are be.
ing sent to the Polish front. Thit
move. leaves the Russian red army
free to hasten to the assistance o.
the Hungarian soviet republic agains:
Rumania. 1t also is the first step IT.
the contemplate alliance between
Russia and Germany. The Russian
bolshevists in Berlin have declared
themselves entirely pleased with the
peace terms evolved by the entente
I'VE regard the terms as desir
able victory for Imperialism in Eu.
rope said one of Lenin's agents in
Berlin. These terms were needed &c
convince the proletariat of Germany
that it's greatest menace was the
western capitalistic Imperialism. Nov
the German workers are convinced
Russia will not plunge into an ALI.
ance. but she stands ready to help
the German proletariat If the entent,
tries to press enslaving capitalist,
terms upon it."
In the residence districts groups o.
men and women are assembling
copies of the peace terms in theil
hands. They talk of two things
America has deserted U.s." am
is silence. The masses are waiting
There is something in the air.
Reventlow Says Germany Dies"
l called on Won Tirpitz. but the ad-
miral would not receive me. 1T you
wish to negotiate for his excellency's
memoirs" said his secretary, return
l entered Count Zu Reventlow's
study few minutes later. The one
time fire-eating junker stood beside
his desk. white faced and seemingly
dazed.
we cannot sign." he said. ITO
sign would merely be to sanction our
felt that President wilson must be
defeated. Now there Is no hope The
allies must march in. We cannot de-
fend ourselves We can only save
hol1ing our hand from the dishonor.
able. terms. There is no hope: Ger
many dies; Germany dies" He re-
peated the words softly. What is
there more to say? A once great ma
ton passes out Of history 1t is the
murder of a race"
Would Germany if she had been
victorious have imposed as drastic
terms upon the entente?" asked.
Let us be honest" said the count.
had no reason for crushing France.
We would have strengthened our
colonies and demanded seacoast
rights in Belgium nothing more.
We would nave kept AlSace and Lor-
more"
What do you think Of handing over
the kaiser. and Of his guilt" I asked.
1T will not be DONE" he replied
THAT is out Of the question. The
kaiser was not responsible. He COM
mitted errors out OF lack Of intel.
left Germany's leading junker
standing at his desk. Anyway" he
smiled as we said goodbye, ut is
Ane day" He remained with a gray
face turned toward the sun as l
quilted the room.
Count Won Bernstorf Talks.
A short while later 1 found Count
Won Bernstorn as he was Fastening
to a cabinet meeting. I asked him
what he thought Of the terms and his
first words were: That item about the
kaiser-that is impossible. and SO
ridiculous! The kaiser is dead in
Germany. and to hand him over would
be to make a martyr of him. 1t would
revive the monarchistic feeling. 1t
will never be done. Germany can
not sign"
inquired about the other "unsen-
timental" terms of the allies-the
Saar district. Silesia, Alsace, the many
billions of indemnities and Danzig.
ut Is an imperialistic peace" he an
swered. 1T is the worst in history.
1t is the maximum. We cannot sign"
What will you do?"
Count Won Bernstorff shrugged his
shoulders and smiled despair lngly.
We have no program" he said. I'VE
must wait"
There were numerous other inter-
views which can be summed up in the
words: I'VE will never sign. We will
die first. Let the allies come; let
bolshevism come Nothing matters"
There is a curious mixture Of atti-
tudes toward President Wilson. He
is being cursed, he is being pitied
and he is being appealed to. He. still
is the one hope OF GERMANY dead
the minds of the Germans which
stands between. them and their doom
in Wilhelmstrasse the officials are
still praying to this dead hope.
Trend Of the Gossip.
1t is believed that Count Won Brock
rff-Rantzau will resign and that the
government will follow him into OBJ
livion. 1t is believed that the inde-
pendent socialists and communists
win take power. 1t Is also believed
out socialism and result in a military
dictatorship. Noske, Won Lettow. Vor-
beck, Gen. Hoffmann, Gen Ludendorfr
Gen. Luttwitz. Capt. Pabst-these are
the names one hears in connection with
the gossip of a military Dictatorship
Germany in the hour of it's final
tragedy is not pleasant spectacle
There are few calm ratonalistic
voices In Germany. Bewilderment. de-
spair and anger do not make for CO.
herency.
talked to two men who spok,
calmly. These were Macmillan Har.
den and Karl Koutsky.
IL regret sincerely said Herr Har
den. that the German republic dur.
ing the last six months did not sue