New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-09
Premiers Order Germans
to Reduce Their Army
to 10000 by Oct. i
and 100, OOOby January
Demand Answer
~ -
! By Noon To-day,
Lloyd George Ultimatum
Alarms Teutons and
May Break Up Farley
By Ralph Courtney
Special Cable to The. Tribune

-Nopyrlgnt. 1870. New York Tribune, aInc.a
SPA, Belgium, July 8.-Prenier
Lloyd George, acting as spokesman
for the Allies at to-day's conference
with the Germans, delivered an ulti-
matum to the representatives Of the
Berlin government, demanding an
answer by noon tomorrow whether
they will accept a disarmament plan
submitted to them to-day by the
Allies. The plan involves reduction
Of the German army to 10000 by
October 1, and complete demobiliza-
ton to 100000, as provided by the
Treaty of Versailles, by January, /,
1921. "a
There is grave danger of the con-
ference breaking up tomorrow.
Should the Germans refuse to ac-
cept the disarmament proposition,
the conference will adjourn. Lloyd
George served notice that if the
German army had not been reduced
to the limit set by October /, the
Allied armies would occupy the Val
ley of the Ruhr or other German ter
ritory.
Believe Germans Will Comply
In high British circles it is be-
lieved that the Germans must yield
to the Allied demand. If they refuse
the Allied proposal, the Germans are
asked to submit to the occupation by
the Allies Of their richest coal basins
for as long a time as the disarma-
ment provisions of the treaty are
unfulfilled.
DR.. Simons, German Foreign Min.
lister, who is a member of the Berlin
delegs ton, temporized and hesitated
over the proposition. Finally he asked
to be allowed to think the problem
over until tomorrow. Tonight he is
in telephone communication with
Berlin. ~
The Germans left the the conferences
in an extremely detected mood. After
the session DR.. Simons voiced a yelled
threat that the Germans might not be
able to fulfill the Allied requirements
and limited at grave developments. He
said:
Every effort will be made to meet
the demand, but in the case of failure,
which is feared, Germany will be in a
conditions serious not only for her
self hut for her allies
Ends Berlin's Hopes
The proposal made by Lloyd George,
which is the Allied answer to the Ger
man request for fifteen months in which
to disarm, was far more severe than
to Spa with authority to make agree
treaty. but were not authorized to make
further concessions. In fact, the whole
basis of their policy has been an at
temrt to obtain guarantees that the
French would not make further incur
sions into their territory. To-day's
ultimatum blows away the whole edi-
fice Of their carefully laid plans. Z
At the opening of to-day's session
Lloyd George declared bluntly that the
discussion. "Three days have now
been occupied needlessly," he said.
"The discussion must cease"
He said that both the. German and
Allied experts had agreed that the
treaty hadn't been kept. The Germans
had 100000 rifles instead of $4,000,
and had five or six times the number
of machine guns allowed,
"For good reasons the Allies have
not insisted upon carrying out tho
peace treaty in the past" he said. *but
such condition now must cease"
Must Disarm Civilians
The Allies, in their proposal to the
Germans, insist that Germany must
disarm her semi-military forces, col
lect all arms from the civilian popula-
ton. abolish CONSUMPTION and substj-
tutc long term army cnlistment. The
Germans must destroy all military.
equipment, and fulfill the military,
naval and air clauses of the treaty
On these. conditions, and subject to
the threat to occupy the Ruhr.s the
Allies agree to extend the time as.
mentioned above. Meanwhile the Ger
mans would be allowed to keep -suc,,
electives in the neutral zone as the
commission should decide upon, and
THE Allies would agree to prevent the
smuggling of arms into Germany; ss.s
Allies Take Aggressive
SPA. Belgium, July tBy The As
ISOLATED Press) The joint Allied Gers
man conference on the terms of. tbs
peace TREATY reached another ethical
point to-day.
CoL