The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-19
DELAYED SIMONDS
ARTICLE EXPOSES
HUNS DUPLICITy
Expert, Writing Under Date
of June 3, Shows German
Adherence to Wilson's IA
Points Is Propaganda.
BY A N. sINONDs

~ MNAMANA ~
PARIS, June 5. delayed in Transmits
sion. AT the present moment German
propaganda and German public men are
making desperate effort with certain
success In some directions to give the
impression that German surrender last
November was due solely 10 the prin-
ciples OF the IA points. In other words,
the Germans are attempting to make II
appea that their armies n their fleet
would not have capltulated In NoVem-
Der had II not been that ID points Of
fered a satisfactory basis for peace.
II Is essential for Americans TO re-
member that such a claim Is totally
fraudulent. In the first week OF No
vember OF last year all German armies
had been beaten and their reserves had
been consumed and Foch was on the
point Of delivering q new offensive III
Lorraine which would have brought a
colossal and irreparable disaster, ON
the military side the German cause was
lost and the greatest military disaster
in all history was impending. The Ger
mans had the choice between surren-
dering before this disaster or following
the example OF the Austrians, who a
few weeks before had waited for the
disaster and seen their armies dissolve
on the battlefield.
A strong Germany on the military
side did not yield in November because
people saw in the II points any basis
for negotiations. The German people
knew nothing about'the II points. Like
everything else that President Wilson
had said and done during the wal
which might have influenced the Ger
man people, the II points were care
fully suppressed by the German censor.
II Is nonsense and cheap deceit that the
Germans are now attempting to propa-
gate industriously.
Fought to End.
The military leaders Of Germany pro-
longed the war to the last moment be-
fore utter defeat. When utter defeat
impended they then accepted the pro-
posals OF Mr.. Wilson because they had
to. They did not accept them In prtn-
clpie. They only accepted them as the
not trlcked into surrender. They were
beaten into surrender, They could not
have gone on fighting for two weeks
more without seeing their army dis
solve as the Austrian army had dis
solved.
Now the Germans are attempting to
establish the idea that they could have
gone on fighting In November and only
desisted to spare the world further
bloodshed, They are endeavoring to
create the impression that the German
armies were never beaten, thus pre-
serving at homo the old legend Of the
military caste and exciting abroad SYM
patty for q country which was de-
ceived into an unnecessary surrender.
II Mr.. Wilson had not made his an
swer to the German proposals or II he
had rejected them the Germans would
stu have had to 20 to Foch. They had
no choice. Their army was on the point
Of dissolution and the final blow was
prepared. But ] find In Paris among
some Americans, and ! assume the
same opinions must exist In similar
quarters In America, a growing impress
sion that Germany has been unfairly
treated because the IA points have not
been interpreted In her favor. There
seems to be an impression that Germa-
ny was In a condition to bargain with
her enemies In November, that she had
made a bargain and that the terms of
the bargain have not been observed by
the allies.
But this is familiar German propa-
ganda, this maneuver oyer the IA
points, 1t Is the sort of thing the Ger
mans did exceedingly well all through
] the war, confusing the issue, m~isstatins
the fact then demanding rights which
could only flow from conditions which
were inconsistent.
When the Germans jumped overheard
last fall they seized upon President
Wilson's IA points as u life preserVer,
All things considered, the IA points
} have been exceedingly valuable to them
DuL Lney now perfectly SnNIlleleShly AS
sert that because OF the IA points they
were absolved from all kinds Of respon-
sibilities. We have marched a LONG
way from the time OF the armistice. but
II Is worth while to refresh our minds
once in a while on the actual facts.
Quit Because Beaten.
Germany did not surrender on &C.
/, count OF the IA points. She surren'
! dsTed because she was beaten. Tit
: German people did not lay down theil
: arms because Mr., Wilson's program
g reached their hearts or their heads
Germany e~apitulated because she wa
beaten, There never was a chance tina
the Ia points would be interpreted L
> save her. They have not been ant
German complaints are merest eye
wash,
The thing which the Germans ar
: now UP to ought to be clearly under
: stood. Those people who believed tina
= the settlement Of this war could b
. made in such fashion az to remove hos
tility between the nations Germany at
tackled and Germany, have realized !
A reading the terms Of peace that thi
will not happen, They perceive, as
/ have frequently pointed out, tina
while Germany a not pay all that sh
should pay, the amount which she wi
have to pay will be a burden upon Ger