Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-18
TRUTH ABOUT ARM|ST|CE
NEGOTIATIONS. BAREO IN
WASHINGTON By WRITER
Haie Favored Immediate and Very Moderate"
Truce Terms, While Pershing and Petain In
sisted on Making German Defeat Absolute;
Gen. Bliss Wanted to Humiliate Teutons.

This ideas conceded exactly with those
of the French commander.
Foch, Petain and Pershing
Marshal Foch next day trans
lmitted his idea of the armistice
terms to Premier Clemencaeu. His
idea was the same as that of Petain
and Pershing, the more moderate
terms suggested by Haig being en-
tirely ignored. 1t was necessary, he
said. to break the fighting strength
of Germany once and for all, so that
she would be compelled to submit
to any peace terms which subse-
~quently might be imposed.
Then came the gathering of the al
lied heads in Paris, Col. E. H. House
representing President Wilson on the
allied supreme council. The suggested
terms of the armistice were discussed
from many points of view. General
Tasker Bliss, representing the United
States on the inter-allied military
council, frankly stated to the confer
ence that he did not regard the terms
as strong enough and would prefer &
shorter and more rigorous text.
81 would like the armistice to be
dictated in two sentences" he
. said. total disarmament of Ger
, many and complete demobiliza-
! ton"
Not content with this, General
: Bliss wrote his note. 1t was
handed to a member of the SUI
preme council, was widely read
and commented upon, but, so far
; as the records In this country
show, 1t was never officially sub
mitted by the American delegates
to the other heads of governments.
! This Is what General Bliss sug-
, |, gested:
al. That the associated powers
demand the complete disarmament
: and rehabilitation of the military
E and naval forces of the enemy,
{ leaving only to him such interna-
tlonal force as may be considered
necessary to the maintenance of
p order In enemy territory. This
, implies the evacuation of all In
vaded territories and their evacu-
alton not by armed bands or par
TALLY armed men, but by disarmed
men.
"The@ Germany army. thus de-
prived of its arms. cannot fight,
and, being demobilized, cannot
again be called together for the
objects OF this war.
a.. That the associated powers
Inform the enemy that there will
be no diminution of their war
aims, which will be submitted to a
full and reasonable discussion be-
tween the nations associated In
the war and that, even II the
enemy himself is given a hearing,
he will have to submit to every
xII-- aL.x A.. a11,t1{AA nuJa~
shall finally decide to be necessary
TO assure now and IN future the
peace of the world"
A HumIIiated Army
In other words, if General Bills
could have had his way, the Germal
army would not have marched baci
across the Rhine and into Berlin carry
ing it's guns and sabers. He woul
have sent the army home a visibl,
beaten force. with all of its arms an
accoutrements gone. The spectacle 4
the streets of the German cities woul
: have been a far different one. III
0 evidence of defeat in truth would hav
! been taken to Berlin
At this stage Of the proceedings
4 Great Britain, somewhat lax as to tn
h terms of the armistice Oh land, de
e mADue0 the SURRENDER Ol virtually Ia
entire German navy.
As the discussion Of the armistic
among the heads of governments ap
preached its final stages, Colont
House frankly asked Marshal Foe
this question.
"From a purely military point
of view, would you rather the
Germans would accept or reject
the terms of the armistice as you
e have outlined it2"
The reply was: "The only aim
! of the war Is to obtain results. IT
u the Germans sign an armistice on
J the lines laid down, we shall have
! obtained the result we seek. Our
= aims being achieved, no one has
T fhe right to another drop OF
q blood"
Once more General Bliss insisted tina
Y the German army be sent out Of Franc
d a broken host and not a military or
ganization bearing rifles. But Marsha