Evening star., 1921-10-30
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ALLIED GENERALS IN
,.H- SESSION

On October 25 Marshal Foch sum-
mons to Senlis Gen. Petain. Mar
stal Haig. Gen. Pershing and Gen.
Gfllain, chief of staff of the Belgian
ariny. The latter, however. is de-
laYed and does not attend the meet
ing. The in-chief reads
the correspondence to them and asks
their advice. None of them proposes
to refuse the armistice. On the terms
of the armistice their opinions are
divided. Field Marshal Sir Douglas
Haig speaks first. In his view the
armistice should be concluded and
concluded on very moderate terms.
The victorious allied armies are ex-
tenuated. The units need to be re-
organized. Germany is not broken
in the military sense. During the
last weeks her armies have with
drawn fighting very bravely and in
excellent order. Therefore, if it is
really desired to conclude an armi-
SIice-and this, in his view. is very
desirable-it is necessary to grant
Germany conditions which she can
accept. That is to say, the evacua-
tion of the invaded territory in
France and Belgium, as well as AL
sace-Lorraine, and the restitution of
the rolling stock taken at the begin
ming of the war from the French and
Jielgians. If more is demanded, there
is risk of prolonging the war, which
asperating German national feeling.
with very doubtful results. For the
evacuation of all invaded territories
and of Alsace-Lorraine is sufficient to
seal the victory.
Pershing Wants to Hear Petnin.
Gen. Pershing says that. as chief
of the American army in France, he
desires first 10 hear what Gen. Pc
tain has to say and to give his opin-
ion afterward. Gen. Petain is of
opinion that if an armistice is con-
complying fully and completely with
the definition laid down by President
Wilson in his note of October %;
an armistice making it impos-
sible for the enemy to resume HOSTILE
ties and permitting the allies to inn
pose their own terms of peace. For
that two things are essential. The
first is that the German army should
return to Germany without a can
non or a tank and with only it's car
rying arms. To attain this he makes
practical suggestions. THE specifica-
tion of a time for withdrawal so short
that it will be materially impossible
material. In addition to the evacua-
ton by the Germans of all invaded
territory and of Alsace-Lorraine, the
occupation by the allied armies not
only of the left bank of the Rhine
but of a zone fifty kilometers wide
on the right bank: at the same time
the delivery of five thousand locomo-
tives and one hundred thousand cars
should be demanded. Gen. Petain
adds. however, that. although these
conditions are indispensable. in his
opinion. it is hardly expected that
the Germans will accept them.
Agrees With Petain.
Gen. Pershing. in a few words, says
that he agrees with Gen. Petain.
Marshal Foch thanks his guests for
their suggestions, which he will con-
slider. The conference ends. The
next day. october rs, Marshal Foch
communicates his final conclusions
to NJ Clemenceau by letter. Ex-
tracts of this letter have been pub
lished. 1t is we'll to quote it here In
its entirety. as far as the western
front is concerned.
after having consulted the COM
manders-in-c chief of the American
British and French armies. 1 have the
honor to make known to you the mill
tary conditions under which can be
granted an armistice capable of pro-
tcCliuS dDSOiutcly luc lHteTcSlS OI tHS
nations concerned and assured to the
associated governments unlimited
power to safeguard and impose the
conditions of peace to which the Ger
man government has consented.
Il. Immediate evacuation of all ter
ritoryi invaded contrary to law-Bel-
giuln. France, Alsace-Larraine, Lux
emburg.
1f2mHediate repatriation Of their in
hatjtsnts.
,HSurrender of part of the enemy
war material in the evacuated re-
Eions.s
This evacuation to be effected with
as degree of speed that will make it
impossible for the enemy to remove
a large part of the war material and
supplies of all kinds now there: that
is to say, in the following relays:
Four Days to Reach Point.
cat the end of four days the Ger
mans must have withdrawn beyond