Evening star., 1928-11-14

CIsmemceGu to the sntntstvg .os Ddr: :
!2grrsS RsEisSS his Hrs ss'ytSs .s g. ass sair:s
stst.oHss N9gsmSs' aoSs asas; Sf al sss sss
Of his cabinet and his mHtaTg s,s aas'sysp; ys:
Then tor two vedrS ne 0'o MO- ~~'' '''o
side OF Cle1nenceoH
The Day Of November IL. 1918.
AS 1 have already said in these
article. the question of the armistice
had to do with politics and strategy.
That is why the terms of the armistice
had been drafted at the same time by
the allied statesmen under Clemen-
ceaurs direction and by the military
ornmanders-in-chief under Fcch. AS
a LOGICAL consequence, when it came to
q definite settlement with the Germans
the execution was in the hanoS OF
Clemenceau at Paris and Focn at
Rethondes. That is why have given,
first of all, a detailed recital OF tne
ewes of the days of November o. ~
10 and II. almost minute by minute.
II remains for me now to complete
NV series by an eyewitness account Oh
the happenings at RethondeS, given to
me by a man who attended the session
ami wrote down day by day what ne
saw. His account is short, very concise:
and constitutes a veritable historical
document. which will certainly con-
tribute to put an end to all the legends
which the years after, the armiStice
have given birth to, as much In Europe
as in America. Here it is in all; ITS
simplicity. Not word or comma
has been changed.
TSa pourparlerS took place IN the
coach of Marshal Foch In his Speclal
train. This train, with the train Wnlcn
brought the German delegates from
Tergnier, was located on the raiiroaoS
constructed by the Germans Tor man
euvering heavy guns near NetnonoeS'
in the Aigle Forest.
AZ am. on November 8 the train
bearing the German lenipoventi" ~-
arrived, The marshal made 1t known
to them he could receive them at 3.
At that hour they went to see Focn
THE marshal had with him the British
Admiral Sir RoSslyn WemySS, Gen.
Weyvand and Admiral Hope. Secre-
tary of State Erzberger, Count Obern-
iorff. Gen. Won Winterfeld ana Capt:
Wenselow handed Foch their otnclal
doc. ments. The veriffcatien took few
minutes. Then presentations were mace
and the delegates sat at the conference
table.
Foch Questions Germans.
Marshal Foch asked the Germans
what was the object of their visit.
FrEberger->"The delegation has come
IN receive propositions Of the allied
powers looking to an al -tice.
Foch-"I have no proposition to make.
However. if the German delegates de-
mand an armistice, / can let them
know On what terms 1t could De
granted" -
man government demands a. arms
tice."
Foch read the terms of the armistice:
Gen. von Winterfeld, In the name OF
the German government, asked for the
immediate cessation Of hoStilitieS before
any decision was taken.
Marshal Foch--'"The conditions OF
the armistice were drawn up py the
allied governments. will help IN any
way possible. the delegates to reacn
!, lid conclusion, but hoStilitieS cannot
cease until the signature OF the arms
The Germans then asked for a fur
ther delay of "a hours before submit
ting their reply. .f
fixed bv the allied and associated pow
ers. I cannot modify it. The German
delegates have therefore " hours 10
reply"
ment by wireless of the receipt OF the
armiStice conditions. and they sent
Can't. Won Helidotf with the complete
text t. German headquarters. Erzner.
gers assistants had several informal
conversations with Gen. Weygand and
Admiral Hope. They asked for explana-
tions and notifications Of certain
clauses in the armistice. The explana-
tions were furnished, and they were
informed that any demand on their
part should be made. in writing:
On November 3 at 3:45 pm. the Ger.
man delegates handed over the text OF
theif observations relative TO the con-
ditions of the armiStice,"
On November 10 written reply was
made to the German observations.
On the same day the marshal sent; to
the Observation-Disclosures a note telling
them the time for their reply expired
on the following day, and urged them.
to get a reply without delay from the
German chancellor. Between z and 8,
nm. two telegrams arrived from the
cha~. ,lor, the first of which said:
Germans Accept Terms.
"The German government to the
plenipotentiaries accredited to the chief
allied -nman1:
"The German government accepts the
armistice conditions submitted on No
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE ;.
Then at Q o'clock, came a long code
telegram from Marshal Won Hinden-
burg
The German delegates were requested:
so as to permit the earliest stoppage OF
( rther bloodshed, to make known as
soon as the could the hour at which
they would be ready to sign. On No
venlber IL at, 2a05 am. the German
deleeateS announced they were ready
to Hart the seance.o It began at 2:l5.
Tho Sext of the arrnistice, as it was
finally established in the "Renly to g
ObSkfvations," was read. 1t was dis
cusSd, article by article. At sos the
definite draft was agreed on. At $40
the sGerman delegates signed it. Err
berger asked for permission to speak,
an q launched. into a protest against the
rigq of the conditions.
Mars 'laI Foch declared tho Seance
CLOSED, and the Germans left. The mar
shall came to Paris to hand to Clemsp