The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-26
Allies and United
 States To Demand
 Payment For Ships

NcOIltiiiotu II olii dSe ohC-I
 the destruction in question was no violation of it's terms. Tn law, Germany, by signing the terms of Article 23, set out above, entered into an undertaking that the ships handed over by her should re- main in the ports indicated by the al lied and associated powers, and that care and maintenance parties should be left on board with such instruction and under such orders as would en- sure that the armistice should be ob- served.
 '"The sinking of these ships instead of their preservation as had been pro- vtded for, and in breach of the un- dertaking embodied in Article 31 of the armistice against all acts of de- strucuon. constituted at once a viola- ton of the armiStice, the destruction of the pledge handed over. and an act of gross bad faith towards the allied and associated powers.
 The admiral in command of the care and maintenance parties belong ing to the German naval forces has, while recognizing that the act was a breach of the armistice, attempted to justify it by alleging his belief that the arrnistice had come to an end. This alleged Justification is not well-founded as, under the com munication addressed to the German delegation by the Allied and As sociated powers on the sixteenth of June, 1919, the armistice would only terminate on refusal to sign the peace or if no answer were returned on the twenty-third of June at seven o'clock. According to international law, as embodied particularly in Articles 40 and Il of the regulations annexed to the Fourth Hague Convention of 1907. every serious violation of the armis- tice by one of the parties gives the other party the right to denounce it and even in case of urgency to recom- mend hostilities at once.
 "A violation of the terms of the arrnisttce by individuals, acting on their own initiative, only confers the Tight of demanding the punishment of these offenders, and, if necessary, In demnity for the losses sustained. It will therefore be open to the Allied and Associated Powers to bring be- fore a military tribunal the persons responsible for these acts of destruc- ton, so that the appropriate penalties may be imposed. Furthermore, the incident gives the Allied and Associat- ed Powers a. right to reparation for the loss caused, and in consequence, a right to proceed to such further meas ures as the said powers may deem ap- propriate.
 Lastly, the sinking of the German fleet is not only violation of the armistice but can only be regarded by the Allied and associated powers as deliberate breach in advance of the conditions communicated to Ger many and now accepted by her. the incident iS isolated act. The burning or permis- sion for the burning of the French flags which Germany was to restore constitutes another deliberate breach in advance of the same conditions.
 ''In consequence, the allied and as- sociated powers declare that they take note of these signal acts of bad faith, and that when the investigations have been completed into all the circum- stances they will exact a necessary reparation. It is evident that any rep etitton of acts like those must have a very unfortunate effect upon the flu ture operation of the treaty which the Germans are about to sign. They have made complaint of the 15 years period of ccuIlation which the treaty contemplates.
 They have made complaint that ad- mission to the League of Nations may be too long deferred How can Germany put forward such claims if she encourages or permits deliberate violations of her written engage ments.
 She cannot complain should the allies use the full power conferred on them by the treaty. particularly Arti- cle 429. if she, on her side, deliber- ately violates its provisions