The Colorado statesman., 1919-02-15
Ebert, Opening German National
Assembly, Protests Against
Harshness of Allies.
DELEGATES SHOUT APPROVAL
Huns Adopt Unique Attitude for a
Conquered People-Peace Confer
ence Makes Progress With the
= League OF Nations-America
May Be Asked to Gov
ern constantinople.
BY EDWARD. W. PIcKARo.

Chancellor Ebert, in his speech at
the opening of the German national
assembly at Weimar, gave expression
to the growing resentment of the Ger
mans which has already been noted
and commented on. Seemingly not
recognizing that Germany is con-
quered nation. he protested bitterly
against the ''unheard of and ruthless
terms of the armistice, and went so
far as to warn the allies not to push
the Huns too far. His hearers ap>
plauded his utterances. and shouted
their Indignation when he alluded 10
the 100000 prisoners of war still 'held
by the allied nations.
The reply of the allies was swift
and decisive. The supreme council
al Paris at once took up the discus
aion of the armistice terms with the
apparent intention of putting on the
clamps tighter and of compelling Ger
many TO carry out certain of the terms
that she has not been complied with
ret.
History does not record another ex-
ample of a thoroughly whipped people
assuming toward their conquerors an
attitude comparable with that the
Huns are taking. Because their op-
ponents announced they were fighting
to wipe out German nuIocracy and mil
Itarism and because the German rev.
olution, so called, says ii has done
away with these evils, the boches
seem to think the issues of the war
have been settled and that they are
entitled to sit in with the victors on
an equality in arranging the pence
of Justice" of which they now prate.
Prof. Hans Delbrueck predicts that the
Germans will again plunge the world
into war; If their country is made the
"wage slave" of Its enemies.
Though the peace conferences com
mission on the league of nations Is
making very considerable progress
with its task, the drafting of tile plans
for the organization is not without
serious difficulties. These last week
centered in the diversity between the
desires of the great powers and the
claims of the smaller nations as to
representation In the league. Before
the close of the week II was an
nounced the commission had agreed
Professionally on the preamble and
two-thirds of the articles. but what
these are was not revealed.
Two general plans were laid be-
fore the commission The first, which
was favored by the small nations, pro-
vided for a legislative branch on
which the large and small nations
would be equally represented, each as
a unit; an executive branch consist
ing of two members from each of the
five great powers and nine members
chosen from the small powers; and
arbitration of international disputes
BIZ three arbitrators. In the second
plan the legislative branch was left
unchanged, but the executive branch
was made to consist chiefly of the
great powers, and instead of arbitra-
tion, there was substituted an eXecu-
tive council of the great powers as a
tribunal for judging international is
sues.
In word, the great powers fear
that II all nations are given equal
representation In tt1e league, they will
find themselves in the minority
though their interests might be much
greater, and the small powers fear
that. If not equally represented. they
will be swamped. But the 'big five
shows signs OF yielding enough to sat
lsfy them.
Concurrently with the work on the
league, the conflicting territorial