The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20

tanning formidable armed force
ready for any evenluIlity.
Although so far about $500, 900
men have been demobilized. only 90
600 officers have been released. so
Tint the French army practically is
as ready for business as It ever was.
II was announced at II recent session
Of the Chamber of Deputies that the
rehabilitation Of the classes down to
1907 was to be completed the third
week in April, and when that time
arrived plans would be published for
the release Of the men In the classes
from 1907 to 1911. 1t Is this an
nouncement that now Is deferred.
1t will require new action by the
Chamber of Deputies, however. to
keep these classes with the colors
after July 1, since the army appro-
priations were so much reduced at
the recent session as to make their
retention impossible. but during the
critical time Of the peace negotiations
the army, composed of the youth OF
France, will be ready.
The semi-ofYicial Temps in long
article tonight, with THE Suns in
terview with the German Foreign Sec
rotary as its text, suggests that If the
Germans refuse to sign the treaty
Prussia rather than the whole of
Germany should be occupied. The
Allies then can deal separately with
the other German States, Bavaria,
Saxony and Wurttemberg. which, 1t
is believed. would bring Count Won
Observation-Disclosures around quickly.
DeadIine at Versailles.
Until the peace treaty actually Is
signed the Germans at Versailles will
be treated strictly as enemies. with
No Mans Land between them ana
the Allies and associates, which will
be crossed only when sessions are held
with them at the Trianon. Newspa-
per correspondents Of the allied coun-
tries will not have access to them at
all, under the present plan. The Ger
man delegates will be accompanied by
a few German correspondents, but
they will be kept In a pen and no
exchange of news with the CORE
spondents from the Entente coun-
tries will be permitted.
The French have charge of the
arrangements and 1t is the French
plan that is being carried out, with
regard to the treatment Of the Ger
mans, who are to be handled almost
like prisoners Of war. They are not
to be allowed to step foot outside Of
Versailles and when they go about in
that town they will be accompanied
by guards. who will see that no one
has communica ton with them. On
the day that they sign the treaty the
representatives Of the victorious Pow
ers may shake hands with them, AND
possibly the French may invite them
TO look Paris over before they return
to Germany.
The Germans will be received by
army officers. headed by a French
Colonel, and this group will have the
mission Of guarding them until they
cease to be enemies The French are
mindful Of 1871 and they want the
Germans to feel their position keenly.
Some Of the Allies do not favor
such severe treatment and even would
allow the Germans to enter Paris oc-
casionally to see the sights, but would
place a censorship on the news the
Germans send home. The Americans
are content TO let the French carry
out their own views on the matter.
House still Optimistic.
Col. Il. NJ. House does not believe
the Germans will play for time. as
he thinks they are anxious to obtain
peace as soon as possible, but he al
ways is optimistic. Some of the close
ivisers of the President point to
the enormous size Of the treaty and
smile at Houses optimism.
The treaty will comprise more than