Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-13
BERLIN CHIEF
RAPS TERMS
.1NASSEMBLY
Denounces Pact But Does
Not Say Germany
Will Not Sign.

Paris. May 13.-The heads of
the two German democratic
parties and the parties Of the
center have informed ChanceI-
Ior Scheidemann that their
parties will withdraw their rep
resentatives from the govern
ment in case the cabinet de-
cideS to s-gn the peace treaty,
according TO a dispatch from
N Berlin received here by way OF
.RaseL
Berlin, Monday. May 12.-The
imperial ministry met today to
discuss the peace terms, but no
positive proposals have as yet been
communicated to the entente.
Practical questions and cor sideI-
ations relating to territorial ces-
sions which were transmitted to
NJ Clemenceau, president of the
peace conference. today by the
German delegation were said TO be
not of a fundamental but of an
explanatory character.
1t is reported that the German
Democratic and Centrict parties
have threatened to withdraw their
representative from the govern
ment if the treaty is signed.
by Associated Press.)
Although it is not believed prob
able that the Germans will refuse
to sign the treaty of peace present
ed to them last Wednesday by the
allied and associated governments,
Z h. 81 id Cd z n
advance into Germany if the enemy
should reject the terms of the pact,
according to a London dispatch.
The wave of opposition in Ger
many to the signing of the treaty
on the terms presented show no
signs of subsiding. Both Presi-
dent Ebert and Chancellor Scheid-
emann have made statements de-
nouncing the terms. Neither of
them. however, went so far as to
state that Germany would not sign
them.
Turning Point of Germany.
Philip Scheidemann. the chan
cellor. in his speech before the nd-
tional assembly here today, said
that the occasion was the turning
point in the life of the German
people. as the assembly was to de-
eide the attitude toward what our
adversaries cali peace conditions"
The representatives of the ma
ton" he continued, meet here as
the last band of the faithful assem-
blies when the fatherland is in the
greatest danger. All have appear
ed except the representatives of
Alsace-LOrraine, who have been
prived of the right to be repre-
sented here just as you are to be
deprived of the right to exercise iu
a free vote the right of self-deter-
mination.
Warns Against Division.
\ And 1 see among you the rep
reseRtatives of all the German
races and lands, the chosen repre-
Sentatives of the Rhineland. the
Saar, East Prussia, West Prussia, |
Posen, Silesia. Danzig and Memel |
Together with the deputies of the
unmenaced regions, | see the dep
uties of the menaced provinces. !
who, if the will of our enemies be- |
comes law, are to meet for the last |
time as Germans amongst Ger |
mans. l know l am one in heart /
with you in the gravity and sane
tity of this hour which should be I
ruled by only one idea-that we |
belong to one another and must |
stand by one another, and that we |
are @1e flesh and one blood. and |
that whoever tries to sever US is |
driving a -murderous knife into the /
living body of the German people. |
ITO keep our nation aiIve-that |
and nothing else-is our duty. We I
are pursuing no nationalistiC (
dreams. No questions of prestige /
and no desire for power have a /
part in our deliberations. Bare /
life is what we must have for our /
land and nation today while every
one feels a throttling hand at his /
throat.
Must Not Become Law.
Let me speak without tactical |
considerations. The thing which
is at the basis of our discussion is
this thick volume in which 100 .
sentences begin Germany renounc-
es.' This dreadful and nurderous
volume by which confession OF our
own unworthiness, our consent to
pitiless disruption, our agreement /
20 helotry and slavery are to be
extorted-this book must not be-
come the future code of Jaw
World Loses Its Illusion.
''The world has once again lost
an illusion The nations have in
this period, which is so poor in
ideals. again lost a belief. What
name on thousands of bloody bat
tie fields, in thousands of trenches.
for 600 miles among the despairing
and abandoned has been mentioned
during these four years with more
devotion and belief than the name
of Wilson?
To-day the picture of the peace
bringer as the world pictured him