The Topeka state journal., 1919-05-21
BrOckdOrff- -Rantzau Asks for
Extension of Time.
German Cabinet Says Terms
Mean Hun Destruction.
MAKE AN APPEAL TO AMERICA
Ask That Wilson's Fourteen
Points Be Adhered To.
German Reply to Treaty Was
Due Tomorrow Afternoon.

Paris, May 21.-A report was cir
culated in French circles today that
the Germans may be granted an eX-
tension of four days to complete their
counter proposals to the peace treaty.
The time was to expire tomorrow.
Paris. May 21.-Count Won Brock
dorff- Rantzau, head of the German
peace delegation, has asked for an
extension of time for Germany to
present her reply regarding the peace
terms.
The count stated that further notes
were being prepared and that it would
be impossible to complete them by ]
p. m. Thursday, when the time limit
is up.
1t is believed, says the Havas
agency. that the request for the extern
SION will be granted.
Berlin, Tuesday. May 2O.-"Ger-
many declines to sign the peace terms
laid before it, because they spell the
economic destruction. political dis
honor and moral degradation of the
entire German nation, not only for
the present but also for still unborn
generations" was a statement author
lied by the cabinet this morning thru
the Associated Press.
THAT these consequences must log
ically follow acceptance of the peace
conditions, the American press itself
has recognized without question" the
statement continued. Toward them
Germany took the standpoint that ac-
ceptance of such conditions could not
be demanded and that the entente
was unjustified in imposing such de-
mands."
Refer 10 Lansing's Note.
Germany had not only moral
promises made it. but a firmly ground
ed, definite, clearly defined claim, ac-
cordinE to the basic rules of interna-
tiOnal law on all the entente powers
and especially on the United States. A
specific recognition of the right of
Germany and OF the German people
10 a peace of right, justice and recon
ciliation. instead of the paragra phed
song of hate which was written at
Versailles, is contained in the note of
the American secretary of state, Lans-
ing, of November ), 1918. In it the
secretary of state notified the Swiss
minister in Washington uncondition-
ally that the established basis of
President Wilson's fourteen points
should be authoritative for the peace
conditions.
said Allies Were Agreed.
Secretary Lansing announced fur
ther that the entente governments,
after careful consideration, also were
prepared to recognize the conditions
set up by President Wilson as the
basis for the conclusion of peace.
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 politics which has found
indispensable expression in the Yer
sailles terms.
Germany answers them with its
clearly juristic right in international
law. Toward the politico-moral bank
ruptcy of Versailles the German ma
tiOn stands as a creditor with unde-
niable rights. and it is not in a posi-
tion to yield on this chief point. Ger
many concluded peace on the basis of
President Wilson's fourteen points
which all America had made its own
and all America, every individual, is
responsible for the fulfillment of its
claims.
Quit of Those Terms.
at is not the German peoples bust
ness to indicate how its rights shall be
realized by the fourteen points, or es-
pecially by the note of Secretary Lans-
ing. That rather is the task of those
who constructed the fourteen points
and brought them to acceptance.
thereby inducing Germany to lay down
her weapons. We do not believe that
President Wilson. Secretary Lansing
aud the American people can take 9TH
er than this German standpoint, if
they do not wish to do that which
President Wilson in his messag of
December 4. 1917, condemned cate
Eorically when he said:
1--WE would dishonor our own cause
if we treated Germany any other than
justly and in a nonpartisan 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
No Trace of II Points.
"And the German people demand
nothing more than that which Presi-
dent Wilson announced in this
declaration. We demand nothing
more than that Americans place the
fourteen points opposite the peace
terms. We do not believe that anyone
in the United States will then have
the courage to claim there can be
found in the peace conditions one
single trace left of President Will
sons program
And here begins Americas definite
Continued on rage Two)