Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-26
GERMANS
A n s " { R
EXPECTED
TUESDAY
Latest Note From Huns Takes
Up Question of Responsible
ties; Claim Damage Was
Done by Allies.
(By Associated Press.)

Thursday of this week is the time
limit set for the Germans to make
known at Versailles what Germany
proposes to do with regard to &C
cepting or rejecting the terms of
peace formulated for her.
Berlin reports still persist that the
German cabinet and the peace dele
gates at Versailles are one in their
intention to request notifications
on various clauses of the treaty, the
provisions of which, it is declared,
Germany will be unable to meet
without enslaving herself for life
time.
Tuesday is spoken of in a Berlin
dispatch as the day on which Ger
many's answer will be ready. The
latest note of the Germans-their
thirteenth-digs up again the ques-
ton of responsibilities. Germany
asserts that the only thing for which
she is responsible is the violation
of Belgian neutrality. For this she
is ready to make reparation. 1t is
asserted that all the powers were
responsible for the war, and that the
material damage was done by the
allied armies, as we'll as by the Ger
mans.
A new commercial treaty with
Switzerland, under which Germany
will give Switzerland coal in return
for cattle and produce, is being ar
ranged.
y Text of Notes.
Washington, May 25.-The State
department tonight made public the
text of notes exchanged by Count
Won Brockdorf- f-Rantzau, head of the
German peace delegation, and M.
Clemenceau, president of the peace
conference, relative to final deter
mination of the Saar basin and the
disposition of its coal products. The
question was first touched in a
note by the German delegation dat
ed May IS and later was made the
subject of a distinct communication
May 16. The reply to both notes
was handed to the Germans yester-
Gay.
The text of the notes shows sug-
gestions of the Germans that viva
voce discussion of questions as to
the amount of coal to be supplied
France and Belgium and the trans
portation of such supplies, that the
concerns damaged in northern
France participate "by shares to an
extent agreed upon in such German
coal mines as are charged with the
delivery of coal to the regions de-
cided upon, that in lieu of actual
control by the associated powers a
system of economic guarantees be
instituted, all were summarily re-
iected.
Would Create Confusion.
To the proposal that shares in
the Saar mines be issued to dam
aged French concerns, the reply as
serts that such shares Situated in
German territory and subject to
German exploitation would be of
doubtful value to French holders
and would create a confusion of
French and German interests"
The most surprising of the propo-
sitions put forward in regard to the
Saar basin is based on an expressed
fear that the surplus of coal over
and above the home requirements
| would not suffice for the quantities
| which the treaty of peace has fixed
and the suggestion is made that the
| consumption of coal in Germany,
France and Belgium be rationed in
due proportion. M. Clemenceau, in
reply, states: THAT no arrangement
of the kind put forward could give
to France the security and certainty
that she would receive from the full
| exploitation and free ownership of
the mines of the Saar."
The only real concession made to
the Germans is to allay the appre-
hension expressed by Count Brock
dorff-Rantzau as to Germany's abil-
ity to effect the payment in gold
| agreed upon.