The sun., 1919-06-09
Optimistic Predictions in
Paris Fail to Cheer Will
helmStrasSe.
PICKING A NEW CABINET
Count BrOckdOrff Rantzau
Expected to Quit Office
Rather Than Sign.
BY KARL II. Won wIEGAND,
STAG Correspondent Of THE Sun.

osuU t"TceDoHdeut OF sun.
Copyright. 1913: all rights reserred.
BERLIN, June (delayed) .-Ex-
treme scepticism prevails in Berlin
that the three men who have remade
the map Of Europe will permit any
far reaching changes in the draft of
the peace treaty.
The rather optimistic wireless de-
spatches sent by American CORE
spondents in Paris which have been
picked up here find little reflection
In Berlin, and any notifications
which would bring the treaty within
what the Germans consider possible
would come as surprise.
The political barometer in Wilhelm
strasse continues low. Hope has not
been given up by any means, but prep
arations are being made for the worst.
Speculation Is rife in Government and
parliamentary circles as to the per
sonnel of the next Government, and
the parliamentarians are all but con-
vinced from reports which have been
received here Of the changes which
President Wilson and Premiers Glenn
enceau and Lloyd George may make
that they are not likely to be enough
to make possible the signing of the
treaty by all the members Of the pres
ent Cabinet.
Chancellor May Quit.
The statement by Chancellor
Scheldemann in an interview given to
! me on Tuesday that perhaps some one
else could be found to take his place
Is interpreted to mean that he expects
to surrender the Premiership or to be
forced to resign by the answer which
he anticipates from the Allies.
1t Is regarded as an even greater
certainty that Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau will place his portfolio as
Foreign Minister at the disposal of
President Ebert rather than sign the
! treaty If the terms do not include ad-
mission of Germany tosthe League of
| Nations. self-determination in the
Fast Prussian and Sileslan questions,
n fixed total for reparatlons and
greater limitation of the power of the
Reparation Commission so that 1t will
not be able to Interfere in the internal
affairs OF Germany.
1t is reiterated in all parts of Will
helmstrasse and In National Assembly
circles that these constitute the mini
mum concessions which the present
Government would consider as justify
ing it In signing the treaty. Since his
formal statement to me 1t Is known
that Chancellor Scheidemann has said
to friends that he is prepared to lay
down his Office rather than sign the
treaty If these minimum concessions
are not made.
The attitude Of Matthias Erzberger,
the armistice envoy at Spa, is the sub
ject of much speculation here. He is
accused of shifting constantly and is
attacked bitterly by the Radicals and
by the ultra-conservativc Nationalists.
ErEberEer Attacked
Anonymous handbills are being scat
tered about the city citing despatch
from Geneva quoting alleged men,
bers of the American delegation to
the effect that IL the German people
put up with such men as Erzberger
nothing could be done and that If
Germany insisted on committing po-
lltical suicide friendly Americans in
the delegation cannot prevent her.
A report is printed that Erzberger
Is working on memorial showing on
the one hand the results II Germany
signs the treaty and on the other hand
the effects II she does not sign, the
purpose being to create sentiment in
favor of signing. Notwithstanding
Erzberger's personal denial to me and
a peculiarly worded denial in the
newspapers, another member of the
Cabinet has confirmed TO me the as
sertlon that Erzberger had submitted
to the Cabinet memorial drawing
two pictures Of Germany's immedla te
future, of which the one based on the
assumption that she would not sign
the treaty was much the darker.
Erzberger, it was said, went into
Continued on Second Page.
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