The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-11-06

French army in 1914 to be converted into rail-
way saloon of a senior French officer. 1t served
throughout the war and in 1913 it was used by
General Ferdinand Foch when he became Mar
shall Foch, commander in chief of the Allied
armies. So it into this early in the
morning of November s, 1913. that the repre-
sentatives of the German government came to
listen TO the terms of an Armistice for which
they had asked, which Foch would be willing
TO grant them.
Picture now the scene which took place on
that morning. In the center of the car is a
table On one side stand French and British
officers the victors. On the other side stand
German officers and civilians, the vanqushed
General Weygand. Foch's chief Of staff was at
his right and at his left were two English adj
mirals. Hope and Wemyss. As they took their
seats Matthias Erzberger, the head of the Ger
man delegation, was facing Admiral Hope. Gen.
eral Won Winterfeldt, the second German pleni-
potentiary, was facing Foch. German marine
Captain Vanselow, was seated beside Won Win
terfeldt and the German diplomat Count Oben-
dorf sat beside Erzberger Lieutenant Leperche
seated himself at the end of the table and two
of Fochs staff officers, Major Riedinger and
Captain de Merry were seated at two small
tables at one side. Here is the story of what
took place as told by Foch himself:
when they entered my drawing room in the
car. saw them standing pale and stiff One
of them, whom I guessed to be Matthias Err
berger, asked in a rather weak voice, permits
sion to make the presentations
IT simply said. Gentlemen. have you any docu-
ments? We shall examine their validity Then
they showed me documents signed by Prince
Max of Baden which I deemed to be satisfac-
tory Then turning toward Erzberger 1 said
TO him. What do you want?' He replied in a
still troubled voice, we have come to receive
the proposal of the Allied Powers in view of an
armistice' cut in rather sharply (and this
was the only time sharp I have no pro-
posal whatsoever to make The four Germans
consulted one another with their eyes Well
said one of them. Count Obendorf, Tell us,
Monsieur lie Marechal. how you wish US to ex-
press ourselves. Our delegation is prepared
TO ask you the conditions of armistice. I
insisted, Do you ask formally for armistice?'
Yes. we do Then. please sit down and will
read the conditions of the Allies to you
II began to read the conditions Of the ar
mistice slowly. After each paragraph I stopped
TO permit the interpreter TO translate. Then I
looked at my interlOcutOrs and followed the i'm
preston of their faces during the translation.
Gradually 1 those faces change. Winter
fedt especially very pale. even think
that he wept. When I had finished reading I
simply declared Gentlemen, I leave this text
with you, you have seventy-two hours to reply to
it. Meanwhile. you may present observations of
details TO me-.
Then ErZberger became pathetic For Gods
sake Monsieur lie Marechal,' he said, do not
wait for those seventy-two hours. Stop the hos
tilities this very day. Our armies a prey
TO anarchy. Boshevism threatens them, and
that Bolshevism may gain ground over the whole
of Germany and threaten France herself I
replied: 4 do not know in what state your
armies are; only know in what situation mine