Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-28

NEW YORK. April 2s.-Germany's
| appeal for an armistice November :,
! 1918, met with the laconic reply
have no terms from Marshal Foch
! to Erzberger and the other plenipo-
| tentiaries. according to Raymond Re-
couly Captain ", French biographer
| of Foch and Joffre. in an article en-
titled What Foch Really Said" which
will be published in the May issue OF
Scribner's magazine.
Capt Recouly, describing the MS
toric scene of the morning or NoEeln-
Der IL, when the generallSSlmo OF ihe
allied forces. attended by few mem
bers OF his staff. signed the document
in railway dining car in forest
near Rethonde, town between com
piegne and scissors. declared the
sight of butter seemed to fill the Ger
man ENJOYS with joy.
First Radio From Germans.
The radio from the Germans ask
ing for "a cessation of hoStilites IN
The name of humanity" was received
ny Foch shortly after midnight on the
It'll. and at rs am, on the ath Foch
sent back his answer: The German
Observation-Disclosures will have to go TO
the outpost on the main road from
Maubeuge-la -CapelleGuise. From
! this point they We're brought ny de-
layed stages to Rethonde. which they
reached about o'clock in the morn
ing. Two hours later they were IN
the presence of the commander OF the
concuerng allied armies.
= acre was cold salute" says
Capt Recouly, "a bow in return. no
| presentations. The Germans took
! their ,.l:.aes at the table in the dining
car. win their names were written
! and re:.4:t..}ad standing. The offlcers
| seemed en- barrassed and upset. Not
| so the civilians. who did not seem to
| care at all. They talked Familiarity
| together; it was impossible to believe
| that their countrys fate was hanging
! in the balance. and that they were
| there to sign the most 'kolossaF capt.
ulation the world had ever seen
| ENJOYS Talked With Foch.
! Fochs 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 dia-
! logue:
| Erzberger: I'VE have come to in
| quire into the terms of an armistice,
| to be concluded on land, on sea and
| in the air"
Foch: Il have no terms to submit to
you"
Count Oberndorf, the diplomatist in
the German party. interceded: IF 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 armistice."
Eoch: Il have no terms"
President Wilson Cited.
Erzberger, drawing forth a greasy
paper: president Wilson has inform
i ~, rl,o Z r~Ia
has been invested with the power OF
submitting the allies conditions to
the German plenipotentiaries."
Foch: !" 1 will let You know the
allies conditions when you have ask
ed for an armistice. Do you ask for
an armistice?'
.'JaH exclaimed Oberndorf and Err
berger together.
Foch: I'm that case I will read
you the terms drawn up by the allied
governments" He sat down and the
reading began. 1t lasted an hour. for
the document had to be translated.
The Germans pleaded for an imme-
time to permit the Berlin government
to examine the terms. Again Foch
spoke:
Messenger's Strenuous Ride.
Il am but the mouthpiece of the
allied governments. 1t is those gov
ernments that have drawn up the
conditions of the armistice limiting
the delay to seventy-two hours du-
ration. I have, therefore. no power
to suspend hostilities 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. Promiscous voIley
firing continued and the emissary was
unable to reach his destination until
the next day. Meanwhile the Ger
man ENJOYS had notified Foch Of their