Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-10
GERMAN CLAIM
ITO MODIFICATION
|0F PEACE DENIED
U. S. State Department Makes
Public Text Of Supreme
Councils Notes Dealing
With Protocol.

Washington, Dec. o.-The State
department today made public the
text Of the supreme councils notes
dealing with the peace treaty which
were delivered at Paris yesterday to
Baron Won Lersnet, head of the
German delegation, and summary
of which was, contained in press dis
patches last night from Paris.
Ins'denying the German demands
for modification of the treaty OH the
surrender of Germans charged with
crimes against international warfare
and the return of prisoners in COM
pensation for the absence of Amer
ican delegations on the commissions
until the ratification of the treaty by
the United SNtes the council in its
first note warned Germany for "the
last time" that until the treaty
came into force a denunciation of
the armistice would be sufficient for
the allies to have recourse to mill
tary measures against Germany.
No Basis in Suggestion.
THE suggestion" said the note,
concerning an alleged right Of Ger
many to request Tin compensation
for the absence of American dele
cations on the commission until the
ratification of the treaty by the
United States) modification of the
clauses Of the treaty concerning the
delivery of the guilty and the return
of the prisoners of war has no basis.
Under the terms Of the final clauses
of the treaty, that instrument must
enter into force as soon as Germany
and three of the allied and associ-
ated powers have ratified it; it
would be in vain for Germany to
endeavor to subordinate the entry
into FORCE to a new condition-the
presence of American delegates on
the commissions.
"Tlie supreme council is of the
opinion that article 22l of the peace
treaty (relative to the return of
prisoners of war; is perfectly ex-
plicit and needs no addition.
Compensation Considered.
The council considers only the
objections presented to the demand
for compensation for the destruc-
ton of the German fleet at Scapa
Flow, and to the provision of
eventual measures of military coer-
cion formulated by the allied note
of Nover,her I
Before making their demand the
allied and associated powers exam
ined this question. They do not
share the apprehensions of the Ger
man government as regards the eco
nomic effect upon the German ports.
They maintain the protocol as it
has been drafted After having re-
ceived complete report on all float
ing docks, floating cranes, tugs and
dredges demanded by the protocol,
the allied and associated powers will
make known their choice, taking
into account the general economic
situation of German ports. Then it
the German government can show
that any of the said demands is of
a nature seriously to prejudice the
capacity of Germany to satisfy her
legitimate requirements for the
of inland navigation or
to other vital interests of economic
nature of the same kind,) the Ger
man government may present claims
to the principal allied and associat->
ed powers who, on their side, will
be ready to examine them i'll spirit
of equity after hearing the repara-
tions committee.
All Hinges on Protocol.
As regards the last paragraph of
the protocol of November 1, the su-
preme council is of the opinion that
the signing Of the protocol and de-
posit of ratihcations will determine
the coming into force of the treaty
and consequently the state OF
peace"
The second note dealt with the
destruction of the German fleet at
Scapa Flow. 1t recalls that in an
earlier note Germany had observed
that the admiral in charge of the
fleet had in no way "the intention
of violating the Obligations that the
German governmefit had assumed"
and that it had also recognized that
in destroying the fleet, the admiral
commanding had acted according to
i general order.
Under the conditions" said the
note, "the principal allied and as
sociated powers consider that the
German government cannot repudi-
ate today the responsibility incumb-
ent upon it or seek through arbitra-
ton solution for acts of war; the
settlement of which belongs to the
said powers.
Consequently the principal al
lied and associated powers request
the German governemtn in conform
ity with their note of November !,
last, to sign without further delay
the protocol, thereby making it pos
sible to effect the exchange Of rati-