The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-24
OBJECTIONS TO
TERMS STATED
EfssS
German Cabinet Gives Reasons
For Refusing To Sign
Treaty
BERLIN CABINET
ISSUES STATEMENT

Have No Right to Make Such
Demands.
Berlin, Tuesday, May 20.-"Gef-
many declines to sign the peace terms
laid before it because they spell the
economic destruction, political dis
honor and moral degradation OF the
entire German nation, not only Tor
the present, but also for still unborn
generations, was 8, statement au-
sthorized by the cabinet this morning
through the Associated Press.
That these consequences must 10
gtcalIy follow acceptance Of the
peace conditions the American press
itself has recognized without ques-
ton, the statement continues. TO
ward them Germany took the stand
point that acceptance Of such condl-
lions could not be demanded and that
the entente was unjustified in pro-
posing such demand.
Germany has not. only a moral
right TO compliance with the general
promises made it, but a firmly ground
ed, definite, clearly defined claim, &C
cording to the basic rules Of interna-
tional law on all the entente powers
and especially on the United States
A specific recognition of the right CT
Germany and Of the German people
to q peace Of right, justice and :e-
eonciliation, instead Of the paragraph
ed song of hate which was written
at Versailles, is contained in the noe
of American secretary of State, Laii-
sine, of November 5, 1918.
- - ssIn it the secretary Of state notified
1hesSwiss minister in Washington un-
conditionally that the established basis
Of President Wilson's IA points should
ba authoritative for, the peace condi-
tidua. Secretary Lansing announced
further. that the. entente governments
after careful consideration also were
preparea-te recognize the conditions
Es.sup by President Wilson as the ba-
SIS FOR the conclusion OF peace.
The declaration of rights ernanat-
B Ing from these specific declarations Of
an the entente powers and the United
Stetes constitute Gernany's sole asset
in the general moral breakdown Of all
international politics which has found
unsurpassable expression in the Yer
sailles terms.
Germany answers them with its
CLEARLY juristic right in international
law toward the politico-moral bank
rur,cy of Versailles. The German ma
ton stands as a creditor with unde-
~sN1> ~ &c ,onf IN q va
sitfon to yield on this chief poin-.
Germ any concluded peace on the ba-
Sis OF President Wilson's II points.
which all America, every individual.
is responsible for the fulfllment of us
claims.
cit is net the German peoo:e's
business 20 indicate how it's right
shall be realized by the II points, or
especially by the note Of Secretary
Lansing. That, rather, is the task Ct
those who constructed the IA points
thereby inducing Germany TO lay
oowr the weapons. We do not be-
Iieve that President Wilson, Secrc-
tary Lansing and the American peo-
pie can take other than this Gel :
nSan standpoint. if they do wish to
Go that which President Wilson in ms
message of December 4. 1917, CHI
demned categorically when he said,
we would dishonor our own cause il
we treated Germany any other than
Justly and in q non-partlsan manner
and did not insist upon justice toward
all, no matter how the war ended. We
demand nothing which we are not
ready ourselves to admit
land the German people demand
nothing more than that which PI'esi-
dent Wilson announced in this dec
laration. We demand nothing more
than that Americans place the Il
points opposite the peace terms We
6lc not believe that any one in the
United States will then have the cour-
age to claim that there can be found
in peace conditions one single trace
LETT of President wilson's p-oeram.
'tAnd here begins Americas def
mite duty to step in. America must
either put its fourteen points through
oc it must declare that it is unable
to do so, or that it does not want TO
do so, so that in no case may xhe
world be led to believe that Aneri-
ca desires to have the peace condi-
tons count as President Wilson'S
/, fourteen points.
"That is our demand, 10 which v-e
cling, and we can not imagine VIVA:
argument from the American sia'
would be effective against it,
In President Wilson's message &c
congress of December 4, 1917, th.,rc
is no passage in textual agreemen:
with the quotation in the cabinet
statement. In that message the prs
ident said:
''The wrongs. the very deep wrongs
committed in this war will have to DC
righted That, Of course. But they
can not and must not be rightcd ny
the commission Of similar wrongs