The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-23
ID FORCE GERMANY YIELDS, AND NOT OF
 HER OWN FREE WILL,
 HA|MHAUSEN SAYS
Declares Allies Cannot Ex- pect His People to Agree to Peace Which I'm poses Uncomfortable
 Burdens
sv Associated Press

Paris, June 22.-The German note in which Germany agrees to sign the treaty, with two reservations, was received oy the president of the peace conference at Is o'clock this evening. The reply of the allies. through the council of four was transmitted to the German plenipoten- tentiaries at Versailles.
 The German note follows, dated Yer sailles, June 22, and addressed to M. Clen- enceau.
 'The Imperial minister of foreign af- fairs has instructed me to communicate the following to your excellency: The government of the German re- public has from the moment when the peace conditions of the allied and associa- ted governments were made known to IL let no doubt exist as to the fact that the government, in harmony with the whole German people, must regard these condi- tons as being in sharp contradiction to the principle which was accepted by the allies and associated powers, on the one lhand and Germany, on the other, as oeing
 binding in accordance with the laws or nations for the peace before the conclusion ] of the armistice.
 | "Relying upon this principle of justice
 which was agreed upon between the par
 ties to the negotiations, and assisted py l a clear exposition of conditions in Ger many, the government has left no stone unturned in order to arrive at a direct ! verbal exchange of opinions. and thus obtain some mitigation of the unbearaple harsh conditions which might render II possible for the government of the Ger man republic to sign the treaty Of peace without reservations, and to guarantee | it's execution.
 SEVERITY SLIGHTLY REDUCED l "These endeavors of the government of 1 the German republic which were under taken in the interest of the peace Of the world and the reconciliation Of peoples have failed owing to rigorous inslstence on the conditions of peace.
 Far reaching counter proposals 0r tne German delegation have only in cer- tain points received any acceptance The concessions made only reduced the severity of the conditions Tn sHiai 1 degree.
 "The allied and associated governments |haye. in an ultimatum which expires or June g, confronted the government of the Herman republic with the decision either Ito sign the treaty of peace presented p' them or refuse to sign. In the latter cast | a completely defenseless people have beer threatened with forcible imposition of tn conditions of peace which are presented land with the increase of heavy burdens
 .'The German people does not wish fo the resumption of the bloody war; 1t hon estly wishes for a lasting peace. In vleV lof the attitude of the allied and associated governments, the German people has n other force in it's hands save to appeal U
 the eternally inalienable right to an inde ] pendent life, which belongs to the German people as to all peoples
 CANNOT AGREE
 'The government of the German repup = lie can lend no support to this sacre ; right of the German people by the appll l cation of force. The government onl l hopes for support through the conscienc ) of mankind. No people, Including thos of the allied and associated powers coul
 expect the German people to agree wit } thorough conviction to an instrument o peace, whereby living members of the yer l body of the German people are to be GU } off, without consultation of the popula tions concerned, and whereby unendurapl } economic and financial burdens are to D , laid upon the German people.
 "The German government has receive 5 passionate expressions of opinion fror , the population in the districts to be GU off in the east, to the effect that they wil l oppose themselves to the separation Q these districts, which have for the greate ) part been German for many centuries, b ! all means they possess.
 'tThe German government, therefore , finds itself compelled to decline all re ) sponsibility for any difficulty which ma
 result from the resistance of the inha