The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-02
By Associated Press


 Washington, June 1s-Germany, ai- though realizing that she must make sacrifices to obtain peace, is con- vinced that the executions of the peace treaty as drawn ssare more than the German people can bear.'
 Count von Brockdorff- Rantzau, head of the German peace delegation, thus sums up the attitude of the German nation towards the proposed treaty or peace in a note to the allied and as- sociated powers, outlining yarious German counter proposals. The Ger man note, delivered to Premier Gle menceau, president of the peace con- ference, was made public tonight ny the State Department.
 The German delegation, nowhere In its note, asserts that it will refuse to sign the present treaty, but declares on the behalf of the German nation that aeven in her need, justice for her is too sacred a thing to allow her to stoop to achieve conditions which she cannot undertake to carry out.o
 Exclusion of Germany from the league of nations, the note asserts, means that in signing the peace treaty Germany would be executing decree for it's own prescription. nay it's own death sen- tence''
 GERMANS DISAPPOINTED
 The German people, the note says, have been disappointed in their hope for peace of justice which had been promised, and stand "aghast' at the demands made upon them by the vic torious violence of our enemies"
 Outlining it's counter proposals, the German delegation agrees to reduction of Germany's army and navy on condition that Germany be admitted immediately to the league of nations; to renounf Germany's-s sovereign rights in Alsac Lorraine and Posen, but as to all otffS4 territories to which Germany is called upon to give up the principle of self de- termination, effective at once, is asked; to subject all German colonies to admin istration by the league of nations, but under German mandatory, and to make the indemnity payments as required in amounts that will burden the German taxpayer no more heavily than the tax payer of the most heavily burdened state among those represented on the repara- tons commission.
 The rote declares Germany is willing to pool her entire merchant marine with that Of the associated powers. Neutral participation in the inquiry as to re- sponsibility for the war is asked.
 By Associated Press
 Washington, June 1.-Execution of the peace treaty as framed by the Versailles conference is declared to he s'more- than the German people can bearo by Count von Brockdorff-Rant- xau, head of the German peace deie- gation, in a note to the associated gov- ernments outlining the German coun- ter proposals.
 The text of the German note, dated May 20 and addressed to Premier Clc- menceau, president of the peace con- ference, was made public by the State Department as follows:
 MT. President: I have the honor to transmit to you herewith the observa- tions of the German delegation on the draft treaty of peace. We came to Versailles in the expectation of recely- ing a peace proposal based on the agreed principles. We were firmly re- solved to do everything in our poWe or with view of fulfilling the grave oo- ligations which we had undertaken. We hoped for the peace of justice which had been promised to us. We were aghast when we read in docu ments the demands made upon us by the victorious violence of our enemies. The more deeply we penetrate into the spirit of this treaty the more con- vinced we become of the impossibility of carrying it out. The executions of this treaty are more than the German people can bear.
 GERMANY SQUIRMS
 with a view to the re-establish- ment of the Polish state we must ra- nounce indisputably German territory. nearly the whole of the province of West Prussia, which is preponderant- ly German; of Pomerania, Dantzig, which is German to the core; we must let that ancient Hansetown be. trans formed into a free state under Polish suzerainty. We must agree that East Prussia shall be amputated from the body of the state condemned to ln- gering deatk and robbed of it's north ern portion, including. Memel, which is purely German. We must renounce upper Silesia for the benefit of Poland and Czecho-Slovakia, although it has been in close political connection with Germany for more than 750 years, is instinct with German life and forms the very foundation of industrial life throughout east Germany.
 "Preponderantly German circles (Kreise) must be ceded to Belgium without sufficient guarantees that the plebescte which is only to take place afterwards will be independent. The purely German district of the Saar must be detached from our empire and the way must be paved for its subse- quent annexation to France, although we owe her debts in coal only, not in men.
 For 15 years Rhinish territory
 must he occupied. and after those
 15 years the allies have the power
 to refuse the restoration Of the
 country; in the interval the allies
 can take any measure to sever the
 economic and moral Ilni<s with the
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