The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-19

II appears that the Government con-
fidered one OF the allied conditions as
capable OF being construed to mean that
the Allies. II they found It necessary,
might occupy all Germany, and the
Cabinet Is declared to have felt that
ultimately there would be such an oe-
cupation and that It might be as well 70
bring things to crisis now rather
than sign an agreement which It con-
sidered was degrading In its terms.
These terms, II Is held, not only con-
tained no guarantee that there would
not be an occupation OF all Germany.
but indicated, IN the estimation of the
Cabinet, that 1t was after all only Q
matter OF time until upon one pretest or
another the allied troops would advance.
Vote to Reject Terms.
The Cabinet originally went into SEES
copy Of Marshal Foch's ultimatum
which Matthias Erzberger. head of the
German armistice commission, had for
warded and which had been Hysteriously
delayed. The Ministers were In confer
ence until 2 o'clock on Sunday morning.
They then took a recess until o'clock.
Toward morning they took final vote.
which was in favor Of q declination to
sign the terms.
II was felt. however. 1t Is explained.
that all the German parties had a right
to q voice In the decision, and since there
were still several hours before an an
were summoned into council. This con-
siltation resulted In a reversal Of the
decision before the day was over, and
although the Cabinet had a perfect legal
right to stand upon its decision. the ex-
PLANTATION runs, IL bowed to the will or
the peoples representatives.
On Sunday afternoon. between and
o'clock, the note 40 accompany the
act OF signing the agreement was drawn
up and approved. This note, with the
orders for the signing, was telephoued
to Berlin, where the mechanical appa-
. ratus for forwarding ii was located. The
note was repeated over the telephone
from Berlin for yerification, reading
being finished at $3.50 o'clock.
The note was received in FTeves a half
hour later and Herr Erzberger. who Is
said to have been vastly surprised and
upset, communicated 1t to Marshal Foch.
FERNS Held DishonorabIc.
OF the Government members, Philip
Scheidemann and Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau, together with Herr Erzberger
of the srmistice commission, personally
refused to sanction the terms, declaring
them "dishonorable to Germany" The
party leaders, however. when they were
hurriedly called into conference at the
eleventh hour, and who attended with
the exception of Hugo Haase Of the
lndependent-Soeialist faction, oyerruled
the Cabinet
reflected here. consider this the most
humillatins surrender they have made
to the Entente.
Two points in particular were OBJ
3ected to by the Government 1t offered
objection to the original demands re-
garding the situation in the East. which
are said to have given the Poles at least
temporary control Of virtually all OF
PoseH and Silesia, and although Herr
Ersberger is declared TO have been able
to have the frontier beyond which the
30 that SiIesta remains German for the
time being, still the Government felt II
was h,imiliating to be required to hand
over what are termed purely German
cities or virtually such to the Poles.
That Herr Erzberger was as is stated
able to obtain the exclusion Of Silesia
from the territory the Poles were to ad-
minister is regarded as a personal tri.
upnph for him. This, however. was more
able feature of the new terms, which
apparently was the one that led TO the
early decision OF the Cabinet not to sigr
the armistice. This was the provision
that made the armistice only an indie
terminate. brief affair that might bt
broken on three days notice and which
stipulates that II the conditions pre-
viously unfu'flled are not carried out
the chief allied command may conduct
49, e.. II. L.. "a III.
Feared Invasion.
II was this condition that the Govern
n1ent considered to mean that in case the
Entente wished to do so or found 1t nee.
essary allied troops might occupy al
parts of the former empire.
Party speeche. which had been Sc
down for this afternoon suffered q rud,
interruption by the outcome of the new
armistice negotiations. The general out
lines of the new terms were known
early to-day, and IL was no surprs
when President Fehrenbach announce
that the speeches and arguments would
be deferred, so that Herr Erzberge
might give a personal explanation o
what happened between his departure
for Treves last week and his unexpe,t
eddy quick return to-day.
The Minister. In heavy voice, real
the terms and the members OF IN
House stirred uneasiy as he Finished
and stopped for breath.
Before continuing his explanation
Herr Erzberger interJected:
1T Is my wish that you may neve
have the tateful hours I have had. w
on the armistice commission have ha'
TO bear untold responsibility"
Explains Terms in Detail.
He then referred to the unfortunate
well nigh fatal delay in the arrival o
the terms at Weimar, and went int
details on Marshal Foch's ultimatun
which, he said, he was assured wa
framed with the unqualified approval o
President Wilson.
Herr ErZberger told OF his efforts I
obtain notifications. But Marshal Foe
had been sternly insistent on the &C
ceptsnce of the terms. He touched onl
briefly but clearly on his successful pro
tests against Polish incorporation O
Silesia and his unsuccessful efforts I
save Brnbaum, Bentschen and othe
German towns. He emphasized that tn
Allies would take over the responsible
OF keeping the Poles in check and Civ
guarantees for the safety OF the GEL
mans on the Polish side
To Herr Erzbergers protests Marsha
Foch replied that all were purely mill
tary measures and in accordance Wit
President Wilson's fourteen points.
Herr Erzberger protested likewls
against the indeterminate extension G
the armistice, but Marshal Foe
brusquely declined to make any alters
ton and insisted upon the inclusion c
a clause which gives him power to pre-
mulgate any order to Germany Mt will.
Herr ErZberger then demapde