The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-21
IS Germans Accept Terms Peace
Treaty VIII be Concluded at
once-Tine Expires June 80.

xflSonS have been vigorously upa9to
as establishing a, peace of justice, but
sertain odifcations in detail and
smapy explanations Of the effecs OF
exeeution are made. The reply IS III
tyso spartsa general covering letter
and seriatim discussions Of the gen
etal counter proposal. The changes
include:
plebiscite for upper silesia. with
Guarantees Of coal from that terri
Frontier rectihcations In West Prus-
Omission of the third zone in the
ssSchleswig plebiscite.
81 Temporary increase Of the German
army from 100000 to 100000 men.
4. Declaration Of the intention to sub
NIT within month list OF those
accused of violation of the laws and
s.castoms of war.
Offer TO cooperate with German
Commission on reparations and to re-
sscafye suggestions for discharging the
obligation.
80 Certain detailed notifications in the
finance, economic and ports and WI
terway clauses, including abolition CT
ssflss proposed Kiel canal commission
S Assurance: OF membership in the
league :of nations I'm the early future
xsftsermany fulflls her obligations.
s:#sThe covering letter, is from M. Gle
lnsneeari president OF the peace con-
Ference to Count Won Brockdorsf-
aaa1tzau; president Of the German
dsiegation. In this letter NJ. Clemen-
.eeaHs says:
tsssThe allied and associated powers
have given the most earnest consid-
i eFafion to The observation of : the
German delegates on the draft, treasy
OF peace The reply protests against
tsie peace on the ground that it con-
EzctS with the terms upon which the
agnlsstice OF November Ii, 1913. was
{ signed and that it is a peace Of vio-
lsnce and not a peace or justice. The
protest Of the German delegations
shows that they fail to understand
! tie. position in which Germany stands
today. They seem to think that Ge:'-
many has only TO make sacrifices N
order to attain peace, as if this were
bit an end Of some mere struggle for
territory and power. The allied and
associated powers. therefore, feel it
necessary to begin their reply by a
clear statement Of the judgment of
tie world which has been forged by
practically the whole OF civilized
mankind.
tn the view Of the allied assoc.a-
/ I'D powers, the war which begun ON
4 August I. 1914. was the greatest crime
Against humanity and freedom Of the
people that any nation calling itself
civilized has ever consciously COM
Initfed. For many years the rulers Of
Germany true to the Prussian tradi-
tion strove for position Of domi-
rance in Europe. They were not sat
isied with that growing prosperity
and influence to which Germany was
entitled and which all others were
wiling to accord her; they required
that they should be able to dictate
and tyrannize over subservient
Europe, as they dictated and tyran-
nissd over a subservient Germany.
'.In order to attain their ends they
used every channel through which
doctrine that might was right in in
fernational affairs. They never
ceased to expand German ornaments
by land and sea and to propagate the
falsehood that it was necessary, that
Germany's neighbors were jealous OF
her prosperity and power.
They sought to sow hostility and
suspicion instead Of friendship, be-
1ween nations. The Germans deve!-
ored system Of espionage and in
frisaIe through which they were en-,
ab1ed to stir up internal rebellion and
9ven to make secret offensive prep
aratsons within the territory Of their
nelghbors, whereby they might win
when the moment came to strike them
d6Wn with greater certainty and ease.
They kept Europe in ferment by
threats OF ;. violence and when they
found that their neighbors were re-
solved to resist their arrogant will
they determined to assert their pre-
dominance in Europe by force
As soon as their preparations were
complete they encouraged a subservi-
e1,t ally to declare war on Servia on
4s hours notice. a war involving the
control of the Balkans, which they
knew could not be localized and which
was bound to unchain general war.
s'Tn order to make doubly sure. they
refused every attempt at conciliation
and conference until it was too late
and the world war was inevitable for
which they had plotted and for which
alone, among the nations. they were
absolutely equipped and prepared. ,
'.Germanys responsibility, however. /
is not confined to having planned and
started the war. She is no less re-
sponsibie for the savage and inhuman
manner in which it was conducted.