The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-25
EBERT CABINET
WILL NOT SIGN,
SAYS MEMBER
Asserts Ministers Are Split,
One Faction Insisting
on Plebiscite.
STANDS BY IA POINTS
Munich Bolshevists Decree
WOmen's Communication
and Bar Bourgeoisie.
STANDS BY IA POINTS
BY KARL II. Won wIEGAND.
Stor Correspo ndent Of TIE suN.


BERLIN. April % (delayed) With
the receipt to-day of French accept
ance Of Germany's condition that as
surance be given that negotiations
would be held If delegation were
sent to the Peace Conference,
Foreign Office and peace bureau are
working at high pressure on final
preparations. The Cabinet was in
session two and a half hours, during
which the personnel of the delegation
was finally determined
The latest developments of the
peace situation were discussed at the
Foreign Office. but Count Won Brock
dorf-Rantzau. the Foreign Secretary
and chief Of the delegation, denied
himself to callers. busying himself
meanwhile with details of the work
ahead.
A special train carrying eighty per-
sons will leave for Spa Monday, but
1t is likely that others will leave on
later train. including fifteen Ger
man newspaper men. So far none of
the American correspondents has
been asked to accompany the dele
| CATION.
Germans Score First.
| IT is clear now that the German
reply to the first allied note. stating
that couriers, and not penipoten-
tiaries, would be sent, had the result
aimed at, namely. the gaining Of as
surance that there would be negotia-
tons. With the first score in their
favor the incident will not be with
out effect on the delegation, as this
small victory serves temporarily to
answer those who had complained
that Germany's attitude was too
yielding.
That the present coalition OF So
ciaiist, Centrist and democratic gov
eminent will not sign the peace terms
as forecast, was the opinion expressed
to me to-day by member of the
Cabinet, who Is In position to know
the diverse currents that are running
and who knows how anxious the pres.
ent Government is to remain in office.
The Cabinet sessions have plainly
showed two tendencies within the
Government. one toward the Left and
the other toward the Right.
The first might be called the non
signing party, while the other In
clines toward signing II the terms
are not too far beyond the Fourteen
Points. and providing that certain
assurances are given by America and
the Allies In the way Of food and
raw materials. and also provided that
the reparation demands do not call
for actual money payments within
a year.
The non-signing party stands by
the Fourteen Points, and further be
lieves that pressure within France
England and Italy will prevent
"Gewaltfrieden," or n peace of might
being forced upon Germany becaust
of the fear within these countries
that such peace would lead inevl
tably 10 another war, which is al
idea that the proletariat the world
over opposes.
This party in the Cabinet will in
sist that all vital questions must b,
referred to the National Assembl!
: and perhaps to a plebiscite for fina
. rejection or approval. AS that cours,
would take several weeks, 1t is fig
ured that in the meantime the opposi
ton outside of Germany to a peac,
of might would grow among the work
: ing classes of all countries
3 Must Consult Peoples VIII.
q Should the conference refuse t,
! grant time for plebiscite the Ger
. mans would feel even stronger II
: their position, on the ground tha
g Germany is now a democracy whicl
: was demanded by President Wilson
q as a prerequisite for making peac
= with the German people. They viii
: hold that the only way to maintall
, strict consonance with the funda
Q mental principles Of democracy is I,
-