Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-02
GERMANS WHINE AT TERMS
BURDEN TOO GREAT TO BEAR
and CANNOT BE FULFILLED
Count Won Br0ckd0rff- Rantzau Voices Opin-
ion in Note to Allied Governments - Pro-
fesses Horror Over Demands Made Says
Spirit of Treaty Admits of No Possibility of
Carrying Out Terms
HUNS MORTIFIED


the Peace Treaty as framed by the
Versailles congress is declared to be
more than the Germans can bear"
by Count Won Brockdorff- Rantzau.
head Of the German Peace delegation
in note to the Associated govern
ments outlining the German counter
proposals.
Count Brockdorff- Rantzau in his
note. the text of which was made
public tonight by the State depart
ment. further asserts:
THE more deeply we penetrate in
to the spirit of this treaty. the more
convinced we become of the impossi-
bility of carrying it out"
The text of the German not, dated
May % and addressed to Premier
Clcmenccau, President of the peace
conference was made by the State de.
partment as follows:
Mr.. President:
Il have the honor to transmit to
YOU herewith the observations of the
German delegation on the draft
treaty of peace. We came to Ver-
sailles in the expectation Of receiv-
ing a peace proposal based on the
agreed principles. We were firmly
resolved to do everything in our pow
err with a view Of fulfilling the grave
obligations which we had undertake
en-. We hoped for the peace of JUS
tice which had been promised to us.
We we're aghast when we read in
documents the demands made upon
US by the victorious violence Of our
enemies. The more deeply we PEN
citrate into the spirit Of this treaty.
the more convinced we become of the
impossibility of carrying it out. The
executions of this treaty are more
than the German people can bear.
with a view to the rec Establishment
Of the Polish state We must rcnounce
ind SUITABLY German territory, nearly
the whole of the Province of West
Prussia. which is rreponderantly Ger
man. OF Pomeran.a. Denzig. which Is
German to the core. We must let that
ancient Anse town be transferred into
free state under Polish sLzerainty. We
must agree that East Prussia shall be
amputatel from the cody of the state.
condemned to lingering death, and
robbed OF its northern portion. includ-
ing Memel. which is purely German. We
m st renounce Upper Sile STA for the
benefit of Poland and Czecho-Slovakia
although it has been in close political
conne titn with Germany for mere than
20 years. and forms the very founda-
ton of industrial life throughout Eas.
Germany.
'TrepcnCerantly German circles
ONr ese") must lie coded to Belgium
wi hoat sufficient guarantees that the
llebescite whic h is only to take place
purely German districts Of the Sarre
must be detected from our empire and
the way must be paved for its subse-
quent annexation to France, although
We owe her debts in coal only not n
men.
For fifteen years Rhinfsh territory
mast lie occupied and after those fifteen
years the allies have the power to re-
fuse tire restoration Of the country: in
the interval the allies can take every
measure to sever the economic and
rno"al links with tn mothe--oo-ntry and
finally to misrepresent the wishes of
the indigenous poolliton.
Although the exaction Of the cost
OF the war has been expressly re-
nounced, AS yet Germany. thus cut
in pieces and weakened. must declare
herself in ready in principle to bear
all the war expenses Of her enemy.
which would exceed many times over
the total amount of German state
and private assets. Meanwhile, her
enemies demand in excess of the
agreed conditions reparation for dam
age suffered by their civil popula-
ton and in the connection Germany,
must also go bail for her allies. The
sum to be paid is to be fixed by our
enemies unilaterally and to admit Of
subsequent modification and increas-
es. No limit is fixed save the capac-
ity of the German people to make
payment. determined not by their
standard Of life. but solely by tho
capacity to meet the demands Of their |,
enemies andttheir labor. The Ger
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