Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-05-13
GERMANS OFFER
NLAb0RP
AS MAT TURE TYPE
Also Propose Decisions
Reached at Berne Be ].
Placed in Pact.
RET Turn OF PRISONERS
SPEEDILY IS URGED

Paris, May 12.-(By The Associated
Pressl-The council of four at its meet
Ing, today, decided to refer the German
hotes on labor and war prisoners te
experts for consideration, instead Of an
sWeflng them at once. as it did will
the first two communications from the
German delegation.
Count Won Brockdorff Rantzau. CHIEF
OF the German peace delegation. in ad
dressing the note to Premier Glemenceau
relative to the repatriation of prisoners
asetd that the details of the transfer
y entrusted to commissions.
flhe German foreign minister states
that the German peace delegation has
noted with satisfaction that the draft
OF the treaty recognizes in principle the
repatriation of German war and civilian
prisoners with great expedition.
The German delegation, it is said, con
slders it Indispensable that those war
and CIVIL prisoners detained or under
going punishment for other than discip-
llnary offenses should in principle be in
clEded among those to be unconditionally
repatriated.
Regarding war and civilian prisoners
OF allied and associated powers in its
hands, the note says. Germany has
recognized the same principle. 1t ap-
pers self-evident to the German delega-
ton, therefore, that. on grounds Of fair
ness, certain alleviations in the treat
ment of prisoners should be agreed upon
pending their return
Demand Full Reciprocity.
The note then proceeds:
I'm one-sided monner some feel the
stipulations have been made in favor of
the allied and associated governments
For instance, those regarding the sur
render Of personal property. the search
for missing objects. and the care Of
graves might be cited 1t is assumed
that these questions, demand for com
plete reciprocity, are founded on general
human rights"
The note then refers to number of
minor points and proposes that delibera
tons by commissions should be begun
speedily to clear up preliminaries in
readiness for the time when shipping
and similar difficulties may be solved
and the removal Of the prisoners may
be possible. 1t aludes to the Importance
to Germany that the prisoners return
home under orderly conditions, insuring
their reinstatement into economic life
with the greatest possible dispatch, and
says that this seems only possible ii
everything is done to raise the moral
and physical state of those returning |
Points for Commission.
Since Germany's economic position |
prevents her by her own strength, from /
providing the requisite guarantees. the |
delegation suggests that the delibera-
tions of the commissions might extend t
to the question of how far it would be /
possible on the part Of the allied and /
associated governments to help Germany
in the matter, for example. in return
for the repayment of the cost. to provide
the prisoners with new outfits, under
clothing. civilian suits and boots before
their return.
In his note dealing with labor ques-
says the German government agrees
with the allied and associated govern
ments that the greatest attention must
be paid to these problems.
internal peace and human progress
depend on how these questions are
handled. the note says. '1he demand
for social justice repeatedly drawn up
in this connection by workers Of all
lands only partly finds Endorsement in
principle Ill this section of the allied
draft of the peace terms
These high demands have for the most
part, already been carried out in an ad-
exemplary fashion in the Ger
man empire.
Labor Principles Essential ,
Referring to the draft Of an agree |
nent on international labor compiled by {
the German government and proposed i
by the German plan for a league of f
cations, the note says: \
Continued on Page Two} 4