New-York tribune., 1919-05-12
Six German Envoys
Depart for Berlin
TO Discuss Treaty.
With Government
Oe'sConl1nlents
On Pact Filed
Notes Request That
Prisoners OF War
BE Freed at Once

LONDON, May IL. Marshall
Foch is returning to the Rhine front
tomorrow, according to Reuter-
dispatch from Paris.
VERSAILLES, May II (By The AS
sociated Press).-Six members of the
German peace mission left Versailles
last night for Berlin. They include
the labor leader, Carl Legien, head OF
the German Trades Union Confedera4
ton; Privy Councillor Eberbach, rep
resentative of the Ministry of Rail-
road, and Herr Schmidt, of the For
eign Office. All three men rank as
commissioners next in Importance to
the plenipotentiaries. They have been
charged with carrying on direct dis
cusslons OF the situation with tas
German government.
Want Prisoners Freed
The German delegation at Ver-
sailles, in notes transmitted Saturday
night to NJ. Clemenceau, as president
of the peace conference, proposes
changes IN the clauses of the peace
treaty covering labor problems. and
asks that prisoners of war be re-
turned Immediately after the signing.
of the preliminaries.
Inc notes suggest the holding OF
joint labor convention at Versailles for
consideration of the points raised.
Satisfaction is expressed with the
labor clauses in genefaI, kue it q
pointed out that they cover principles
already in force in Germany and thar
they do not go far enough.
Food for Prisoners Asked
The Germans suggest that the labor
agreement be considered at the pro-
posed conference along the lines of tps
conclusions OF the labor conference OF
July, 1917.
The note relating to prisoners
crlticises the clause dealing with shs
return of prisoners of war and asks
that they be returned Immediately after
the signing of preliminaries and that
adequate supplies OF food and CLOTH
ing be guaranteed them. 1t is con-
sidercd III peace conference circles that
the treaty as it stands provides amply
for this point
The notes have not yet been con-
sidered by the council of four, buc viii
be taken up tomorrow. Z
Wilson Helps Draft Replies
Other communications from the
German peace mission were submitted
to-day in sealed envelopes through
the French liaison officer to the
the French Foreign Office The For
eign Office alone is cognizant of ths
nature of the documents.
The replies which the council Of
four sent to the preceding Germas
notes, made public Saturday, were
drawn up, according to the Temps"
with the personal and particularly ac-
tive collaboration of President Wilson.
Herr Giesberts, Count Oberndorr
and several other Germans attended
mass to-day, while the usual small
party went to the Protestant church.
The remainder of the delegation
worked part of the day on German
counter propositions TO the Entente
demands
Rantzau May Leave This Week =
1t is considered possible that Count
Won Brockdorff- Rantzau will leave soma
time this week for Berlin to consult
with the government.
The counter proposals on which the
subordinate members Of the delegation
are busily at work are not expected to
be ready before next week. That they
are to be of considerable length is
surmised by the fact of the purchase
to-day by the Germans of 10000 sheets
Of paper. Z
During the day, as on Saturday,
Count Won Brockdorff Rantzau took q
long prom enade in the park with FIVE
OF mis- colleagues, evidently discussing
with them the terms of the treaty.
Later the count took his usual auto-
mobile drive.