Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-21
Teutons Ask Allies in
Paris For More Time
to Consider Issues.
HUNS ARE PREPARING
SEVERAL MORE NOTES
Cannot Complete Them by Thurs
day-Exchanges on Repara-
tons Question Revealed.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 21-Count Won Brock
dorff -Rantzau, head of the German
peace delegation. has asked an ex-
, tension of time for Germany to pre-
sent her reply regarding the peace
terms.
The count stated that further notes
were being prepared and that 1t
would be impossible to complete them
by / pm. Thursday. when the time
limit is up. 1t is believed. says the
Havas Agency, that the request for
the extension will be granted.
Want More Time for Study.
The note stays the Germans desire
more time to study a number of ques-
tions in the treaty which they have
not yet had an opportunity to ex-
anime. There is no official intimation
regarding the decision of the allied
and associated powers on the request.
Notes on Preparations.
The peace conference last night
made public the text of the German
note regarding reparations. and the
reply made by Premier Clemenceau.
as president of the conference.
The German note reads:
''At Versailles. May 10, 1919.
ITO His Excellency, NJ. Clemenceau,
president of the peace conference.
Sir: In the draft of the peace
treaty submitted to the German dele
gates, part VIII. concerning repara-
ton. begins with article 231, which
reads as follows:
Question of Responsibility.
1.-The allied and associated govern
ments affirm and Germany accepts
| the responsibility of Germany and her
allies for causing all the loss and
ciated governments and their ma
| tionals have been subjected, as a con-
| sequence of the war imposed upon
| them by the aggression of Germany
and her allies
Now the obligat: ION to make repara-
| tion has been accepted by Germany
| by virtue Of the note from Secretary
of State Lansing, Of November 5, 1913,
independently of the question of re-
sponsibility for the war. The German
delegation cannot admit that there
could arise out of responsibility in
CURED by the former German govern
ment in regard to the origin of the
world war any right for the allied
and associated powers to be indemni-
! fed by Germany for losses suffered
during the war.
Denies People Willed War.
The representatives of the allied
and associated states have, moreover,
declared several times that the Ger
man people should not be held re-
sponsible for the faults committed by
their governments. The German peo-
pie did not will the war and would
not have undertaken a war of aggres-
sion. They have always remained
convinced that this war was for them
defensive war.
1.-The German delegates also do not
share the view of the allied and as
ISOLATED governments in regard to the
origin of the war. They cannot con-
slider the former German government
the party which was solely or
chiefly to blame for the war. The
draft of the treaty of peace trans
mitted by you contains no facts in
support of this view; no proof on the
subject is furnished therein. The
German delegates, therefore, beg you
TO be so good as to communicate to
them the report of the commission set
up by the allied and associated gov
ernments for the purpose of estab-
fishing the responsibility q the
authors of the war.
Pray accept, Mr.. President. the as
surances of my high consideration.
"BRocKDoRFF-RANTzA
The text of the reply of Premier
Clemenceau is dated May 90. 1919. and
is as follows:
Mr.. Chairman: In your note of May
10 you state that Germany. while
accepting in November. 1918. the
obligation to make reparation.' did
not understand such an acceptance
to mean that her responsibility was
involved either for the war or for the
acts of the former Germas govern
ment.
at is only possible to conceive of
such an obligation if its origin and
cause is the responsibility of the
author of the damage. You add that
the German people would never have
undertaken a war of aggression.
Yet, in the note from Secretary of
State Lansing of November 5. 1918.
which you approve of and advise in
favor of your contention, it is stated
that the obligation to make repara-
ton arises out of 'Germany's agrees
sion by land, sea and air.
Principle Recognized.
LAS the German government did
not at the time make any protest
against this allegation, it thereby
recognized it as well founded Ihere-
FORE Germany recognized in 1918. inn
plicitly but clearly. both the agrees
sion and her responsibility.
1T is too late to seek to deny them
today.