Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-05-22 | Page 6 | Huns Haggling

HUNS HAGGLING. Gormany lias declined to si'n the peace terms laid upon lier ami asked for , an extension of time in which to pre-eoiit pre-eoiit her reply to the conference at .' Versailles. Tho reason given for the ' refusal is that tho terms imposed spell tho "economic destruction, political dishonor dis-honor and moral degradation of tho .entire .en-tire German nation, not only for the ' present, but also for still unborn generations." gen-erations." The reply of Count von IirocUdoi'ff-Iiantzau lays considerable stress upon President Wilson's fourteen points and much is said concerning what tho Germans conceivo to bo tho attitude of America in regard to the ; terms of peace. The Hun leaders fail - to tako into consideration tho fact that tliev aro not dealinz with tho Amori- can delegation alone, but with repre-; repre-; sontatives of all the belligerent nations . coming victoriously out of tho great Btruggle for human freedom. They likewise like-wise overlook tho fact that President Wilson approved the peace terms and ' that a groat majority of Americans be-liovo be-liovo them just. So it is useless for ; tho German delegates to look to this country for either sympathy or aid ill the hour of their humiliation. It is a fateful hour in German history, his-tory, but Gormany has her militarists in tho first instance and herself in the second to blame for the tragic position posi-tion in which she finds herself. As for the peaco terms, they are none too drastic to fit the case. Former President Presi-dent Taft puts it aptly when he says that tho treaty is a recital of the fact that the wages of sin is death and that the people who have violated and outraged out-raged justice and right as tho German people have should bo restrained by a troaty which will keep them on their knees. The treaty of Versailles will do this very thing. ! (Austria, Germany's partner in crime, is now awaiting sentence. No definite program has been arrangod for tho delegation, dele-gation, headed by Chancellor Karl Een-ner, Een-ner, but the inclination apparently is to give them as short a time as is reasonably rea-sonably necessary to consider the treaty draft to bo handed them early next week. Tho Austrians appear to bo anxious anx-ious for a speedy settlement, and the attitude of Eenner and his associates is in happy contrast with that of the German envoys. One evidence of the conciliatory spirit of Eenner is found in his dismissal of Judjre Schumach, attached at-tached to tho delegation as a representative repre-sentative of the Tyrol. Schumach was stationed at Tricst during the war and his repressive measures against the Italians earned for him the designation of 'the hangman of Tricst." Italian envoys at Versailles have resented his appearance as a representative of Austria, Aus-tria, and Kenner, whose rolo evidently is one of friendly understanding, retired re-tired tho "hangman" to avoid disagreeable disa-greeable incidents in the peace parleys. With tho conclusion' of tho Austrian peace the active participation of tho United States in tho Paris conference will end, unless tho Hungarian peace delegates should put in an appearance. Jn whatever peaco exchanges there may be with Bulgaria, our representatives will appear merely in the character of advisers. It is quite likely that the exchange with Bulgaria will take place in Saloniki and not in Paris, which means that with the signing of the Austrian and Hungarian treaty the Paris conference will adjourn. The dismemberment of t he Turkish empire is on the cards and it is more than likely nothing territorial will be left over which the government of the sultan may claim by political control. Constantinople is to be placed under the league of nations and some allied chiefs here are again devoting themselves to the effort to persuade President Wilson to agreo to have the Enit.ed States accept ac-cept the league's maudate for the administration ad-ministration of the Turkish capital and its environment. The president has let it bo known, however, that this is a matter for the determination of congress, con-gress, without indicating that he will recommend that we accept the mandate.