The sun., 1919-06-02
SEES
DEATH IN PACT
In Counter Offer He Declares
Terms Would Mean En-
slavement.
WOULD PAY $25, 100000, 900
Wants to Supply Coal for
France Until Ruined Mines
Are ReOpened.
Special Despatch to THE srN.

WASHINGTON, June 1.--Although the
fun text Of the peace terms offered to
Germany has not been given out for
publication in this country. the State
Department tonight made public the
German reply to the allied proposals.
The reply. which outlined the Ger
man counter proposals, bore the date
of May 29, the time limit fixed by the
Peace Congress for the answer, and
was addressed to Premier Clemenceau
as president Of the Peace Congress.
In the reply Germany serves notice
to the allied and associated Govern
ments through Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau that she is ready to 20 to the
utmost limits OF her capacity to obtain
peace, but that the execution Of the
treaty, with the present terms. is more
than she can bear.
The German pronouncement bristles
with indignation and seeks to invoke
the so-called Wilson 3rinciples as JUS
tification for radical changes in the
terms in virtually all important par
ticulars. Whether the German dele
gates actually will sign the treaty is
left in doubt because Count Won Brock
dorff- RantZau. after vigorous protest,
says: Thus must a whole people sign
the decree for its own prescription,
nay. It's own death warrant" The text
of the German reply follows:
"Mr. President:
I'VE came to Versailles in the expecta-
tion OF receiving a peace proposal based
on the agreed principles. We were very
firmly resolved TO do everything in our
power with a view OF fulfilling che grave
obligations which we had undertaken.
We hoped for the peace Of justice which
had been promised to U.S.
Germans Were "Aghast." .
we were aSha3: when we read IN
documents the demands made upon US
at the victorious violence OF our enemies.
The more deeply we penetrate into the
spirit of this treaty the more convinced
We become OF the impossibility of carry
ing it out The executions Of this treaty
bear.
With view to the reestablishment OF the
Polish State we must renounce indisputa-
bly, German territory, nearly the whole
Of the Province OF West Prussia, which
Is preponderantly German. OF Pome-
rama, Danzig, which is German TO the
core. We must let that ancient Hanse
town be transferred into a free state
under Polish suZerainty. We must agree
that East Prussia shall be amputated
from the body of the State. condemned
to a lingering death and robbed OF it's
northern portion. including Memel, which
is purely German.
I'VE must renounce upper Sileeia for
the benefit OF Poland and Czecho-Slo-
vakia, although 1t has been in close po-
litical connection with Germany for more
than $50 years: is instinct with German
life and forms the very foundation of In
dustrlal life throughout east Germany.
"Preponderantly German circles
(Krelse) must be ceded to Belgium with
out sufficient guarantees that the plebis-
cite, which is only to take place after
ward. will be independent. The purely
German district OF the Saar must be de-
tached from our empire and the way
must be paved for its subsequent annex
alton to France, although We owe her
debts in coal only. not in men.
For fifteen years Rhenish territory
must be occupied. and after those fifteen
years the Allies have the power to refuse
the restoration OF the country. In the
interval the Allies can take every meas
ure TO sever the economic and moral
links with tho mother country and finally
TO misrepresent the wishes OF the popu-
lation,