The sun., 1919-05-15
GERMAN PLEAS
DELUGE ALLIES
Council of Four Told Eco
nomic Clauses of Treaty
Mean Ruin to Nation.
NO PREPARATION PROTEST
Answers Go to Notes on Labor
and Prisoners of War
Counter Terms Coming.
NO PREPARATION PROTEST
By the Assocsoted Press.


PARIS. May 14.-Three more notes
were received by the Council Of Four
from the German peace delegation at
Versailles to-day and were referred
to special committees for considera-
ton. Answers also were despatched
| to-day to the German notes previ-
| ously received dealing with prisoners
OF war and suggesting changes in the
labor convention. The report Of the
committee which has been consider
ing the note on labor has been ap-
| proved and forwarded TO the Ger
mans.
X Close scrutiny OF the treaty has re-
vealed several omissions and the
| council corrected these by deciding
TO insert a clause providing for the
withdrawal OF the reparations COM
mission on a twelve months notice.
) Although the subjects OF the three
German notes received to-day were not
made public. it is understood that one
OF them deals with the economic
clauses Of the treaty and declares
| that they mean the ruin OF Germany
il they are enforced. A note on terri
torial questions protests particularly
against the Saar Valley arrangement
and the transfer OF the Malmedy,
Moresnet and Eupen districts to Bel
gium, as well as the forced evacua-
tion of a part OF Schleswig.
A note on reparation does not protest
against the payment by Germany for the
devastation wrought in Belgium and
northern France. which 1t says Germany
is ready to do willingly. 1t is added,
however. that Germany will not pay
reparation for this damage on the prin-
ciple that she was responsible for the
war.
The note on the question OF prisoners
says: The German peace delegation
notes with satisfaction that the project
recognizes the principle Of the return OF
prisoners OF war and civilians with the
least possible delay. The delegation
deems that all the details Of the execu-
ton OF this measure ought to be sub
Direct oral discussions between the
commission and nearly all the bellig-
erents concerning prisoners OF war have
been considered. even during hostilities,
as the surest means of solving tho dif-
ficulties. II ought to-day to be all the
easier to reconcile the different view
points and clear up certain obscurities
still existing on certain details of the
problem
For instance. as a result of tho d.
versity Of the viewpoint of the law in the
different countries interested. the Ger
man delegation considers 1t indispensa-
ble that prisoners or war and the civil
ians undergoing penalties for other in
fractions than those of discipline should
be in a group that ought to be re-
patrtated Internationally. Germany has
recognized this principle regarding pris-
oners of war and civilians OF the allied
and associated Powers In its custody.
"The German delegation deems 1t nee
essary for reasons OF equity to accord
certain improvements In the treatmen,
of prisoners, military and civilian, pend
ing the time when they may return to
their own country
The Council at Its morning session ap-
pointed a subcommittee. comprising one
member from each OF the Ave great Pow.
ers, Great Britain, France. Italy, the
United States and Japan, to deal with
objections and proposals from the Ger.
man plenipotentiaries.
The German delegation is preparing
voluminous counter proposals for sub
mission to the allied and associated
Powers as substitutes for the terms OF
the peace treaty.