Imperial Valley press., 1920-04-28

NEW 1ORk, April ZS.-Ger-
many's appeal for an armistice on
November 7. 1918, met with the la
comic reply. II have no TERMS" from
Marshal Foch to Erzberger and the
other plenipOtentiaries. according to
Raymond Recouly Captain Y, the
French biOgrapher of Foch and Jof-
FIRE, in an article entitled What
Foch Really Said" which will be
published in the May issue of Scrib-
ner's Magazine.
Captain Recouly, describing the his
, toric scene of the morning of Novem
ber II, when the generalissimo of tn,
Allied forces, attended by a few mem
bers Of his staff, signed the documen
in railway dining car in fores
near Rethonde, a town between Com
piegne and Soissons, declared "lhe
sign of butter seemed to fill the Ger
man ENJOYS with joy"
RADIO ASKS CESSATION
The radio from the Germans asked
for "a cessation of hostilities in the
the name of humanity" was received
by Foch shortly after midnight on the
7th and at 1:25 a. m. on the Sth Foch
sent back his answer: "The German
plenipotentiaries will have to go to
the outpost on the main road from
Maubeuge- la -Capelle Guise." From
this point they were brought by de-
layed stages to Rethonde, which they
reached about Z o'clock in the morn
1 ing. Two hours later they were in
the presence of the commander of the
conquering Allied armies.
There was a cold salute" says Cap
. q so in rot,1
presentations. The Germans took
their places in the dining car, where
their names were written, and re-
manned standing The officers seemed
embarrassed and upset. Not so the
all. They talked familiarly together;
country's fate was hanging in the bal
ance. and that they were there to sign
the most colossal capitulation the
world had ever SEEM
Foch's piercing eyes, gruff voice
and curt manner were impressive. "To
whom have the honor of speaking? ~
he asked. The Germans replied What
is the object of your visit?" he asked.
Then followed this dialogue:
81 HAVE NO TERMS
"Erzberger: We have come to in
quire into the terms of an armistice,
to be concluded on land, on sea and in
the air."
"Foch: l have no terms to submit
YOU"
Count Oberndorf, the diplomatist in
the German party, interceded: "1f the
marshal prefers, we may say that we
are here to learn the conditions on
which the Allies would be willing to
grant US an arnlistice.
"Foch: | have no terms"
Erzberger. drawing forth greasy
paper: President. Wilson has in
formed our government that Marshal
Foch has been invested with the power
of submitting the Allies conditions to
the German plenipotentiaries.
"Foch: l will let you know the AL
lies conditions when you have asked
for an armistice. Do you ask for an
armistice?"
"Jav' exclaimed Oberndorf and
Erzberger together.
"Foch: In that case / will read you
the terms drawn up by the Allied gov
ernments." He sat down and the read
ing began. 1t lasted an hour, for tn
document had to be translated. The
Germans pleaded for an immediate
suspension of hostilities and for time
to permit the Berlin government to ex
anime the, terms. Again Foch spoke:
81 am but the mouthpice of the AL
lied governments. 1t is those govern
ments that have drawn up the condi-
tions of the armistice limiting the
delay to 72 hours duration. | have,
therefore, no power to suspend hostili-
ties without their authorization"
The Germans at once dispatched a
messenger. to Spa. with credentials
and the request that his journey to
Berlin be Facilitated" When the
messenger reached the German out
posts, it is related, the troops were so
demoralized that they fired upon his
white flag. Promiscuous volley firing
continued and the. emissary was un-
able to reach his destination until the
next day. Meanwhile the German en-
voys had notified Foch of their diff
Guilty and Foch agreed to permit them
to send German officer to Berlin by
air. A plane was euipped and ready
for the flight when word was received
that the messenger had reached Ber-
lin.
SIGN ARMISTICE #
Captain Recouly declares the armis-
tice was signed because Foch and his
staff were convinced Germany was
already in the throes of revolution.
The armistice ENJOYS painted a "black
picture" of conditions. While the Ger
man govrnment was analyzing the
terms the plenipotentiaries remained
near Foch in the forest at Rethonde.