The Pensacola journal., 1920-04-30
WRITER RELATES
GERMAN APPEAL
INCIDENT OF SIGNING OF ARMS
TICE THAT ENDED WORLDS
GREATEST CONFLICT is DE-
ScRIBED.

New York, April 2e.-Germany's
lappea1 for an armistice on November
IL, 1913 met with the laconic reply, Il
have no terms" from Marshal Foch to
!Erzberger and the other plenipoten-
ltiaries, according to Raymond Recouly
l(Captain X, French biographer of
IFoch and Joffre, in article entitled
I''What Foch Really Said which will be
published in Scribners out tomorrow.
Captain Recouly, describing the his
toric scene of the morning of Novem-
ber II, when the generalissimo of the
Allied forces attended by a few mem
bers of his staff, signed the document
lin a railway dining car in a forest
near Rethonde, a town between Com
Ipiegne and scissors, declared "the
lsight of butter seemed to fill the Ger
man ENJOYS with joy"
The radio from the Germans asking
for "a cessation of hostilities in the
name of humanity" was received by
Foch shortly after midnight on the
18th and at 1925 a. m, on the Sth F.och
lsent his answer: The German pleni-
lpotentiaries will have to go to the out
post on the main road from Maubeuge
LA Capelle-G Guise." From this point
they were brought by delayed stages
la o'clock in the morning. Two hours
later they were in the presence of the
lcommander of the conquering Allied
armies.
There was a cold salute" says Cap
tain Recouly, "a bow in return; no
presentations. The Germans took their
Iplaces at the table in the dining car,
where their names were written, and
iremained standing.
Foch's piercing eyes, gruff voice and
lcurt manner were impressive. ITO
whom have 1 the honor of speaking?"
he asked. The Germans replied. What
lis the object of your visit?" he asked.
lThen followed this dialogue:
4 Erzberger: 1--WE have come to in
lquire into the terms of an armistice,
ito be concluded on land, on sea and
in the air"
Foch: Il have no terms to submit
to you.'
Count Oberndorf, the dipIomatist in
the German party, interceded: IF the
Marshal prefers, we may say that we
lare here to learn the conditions on
which the Allies would be willing to
grant US an armistice.''
i Foch: 'I have no terms"
Erzberger, drawing forth a greasy
lpaper: president Wilson has informed
Iour government that Marshal Foch has
been invested with the power of sub
Imitting the Allies conditions to the
German plenipotentiaries.
|, Foch: II will let you know the AL
lies conditions when you have asked
for an armistice. Do you ask for an
larmistice.
"Ja!" exclaimed Oberndorf and Err
berger together.
l. Foch: I'm that case I will read you
1.-The terms drawn up by the Allied gov
ernments." He sat down and the read
. ling began. 1t lasted an hour, for the
document had to be translated. The
iGermans pleaded for an Immediate sus-
pension of hostilities and for time to
! permit the Berlin government to ex-
anime the terms. Again Foch spoke:
Il am but the mouthpiece of the AL
lied governments. 1t is those govern
ments that have drawn up the condi-
tions of the armistiee limiting the de-
lay to 72 hours duration. have, there
fore, no power to suspend hoStiHties
, without their authorization"
al The Germans at once dispatched a
messenger to Spa. with credentials
, and the request that his journey to
, Berlin be facilitated"
Captain Recouly declares the armis-
tice was signed because Foch and his
staff were convinced Germany was al
, The armistice envoys painted a BLACK
. ipicture" of conditions. While the Ger
: man government was analyzing the
terms of plenpotentiaries remained
near Foch in the forest at Rethonde.
; They We're permitted to leave their
| train and. guarded by armed soldiers,
exercise in the open air. On the aft
lernoon of the 10th, Foch informed
, Erzberger, the head of the delegation,
that hostilities would be resumed at
IL a. m. the next day. At Z o'clock
on the night of November 10th the
/ following radio message was inter-
' cepted by the French:
r German government to German
T iplenipotentiaries: The plenipotentiaries
: are authorized to. sign the armistice.
(Signed) The Chancellor of the En-
pire.' Three ciphered figures al the
lend of the message proved its authen-
7 ticity. More than twelve hours of de-
liberation and debate over the harsh"
terms followed. F'och granted some
: concessions and refused the others.
Subsequently the wearied French,
!. English and Germans appended their
e signatures to the document, and, by
Encouragement, six hours after the
Isigning, or II a. m. of the morning of
the 11th, operations ceased along all
the fronts. Four years of warfare
which had cost more than 5000. 600
| lives was at an end.