Kelly Miller's History of the World War for Human Rights Part 76

Heligoland was a very strongly fortified island guarding the approaches to the Kiel Ca.n.a.l. The treaty sets forth that the fortifications, military establishment and harbors of the islands of Heligoland and Dune are to be destroyed under the supervision of the Allies by German labor and at Germany's expense. They may not be reconstructed for any similar fortifications built in the future.

STRIPPED OF HER COLONIAL EMPIRE

Germany's vast colonial empire--totaling more than 1,000,000 square miles in area--is now a thing of the past. Outside of Europe Germany renounces all rights, t.i.tles, and privileges as to her own or her allies' territories to all the allied and a.s.sociated powers, and undertakes to accept whatever measures are taken by the five allied powers in relation thereto. In addition Germany surrenders all concessions she had wrung from other countries,--as China, Siam, Liberia, Morocco and Egypt.

GERMANY LOSES HER ARMY

The demobilization of the German Army must take place within two months of the peace. Its strength may not exceed 100,000, including 4,000 officers, with not over seven divisions of infantry and three of cavalry, and it is to be devoted exclusively to maintenance of internal order and control of frontiers. Divisions may not be grouped under more than two army corps headquarters staffs. The great German General Staff is abolished. The army administrative service, consisting of civilian personnel not included in the number of effectives, is reduced to one-tenth the total in the 1913 budget. Employees of the German states such as customs officers, first guards may not exceed the number in 1913. Gendarmes and local police may be increased only in accordance with the growth of population. None of these may be a.s.sembled for military training.

STRIPPED OF HER NAVY

The German Navy must be demobilized within a period of two months after the peace. She will be allowed six small battles.h.i.+ps, six light cruisers, 12 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats, and no submarines, either military or commercial, with a personnel of 15,000 men, including officers, and no reserve force of any character. Conscription is abolished, only volunteer service being permitted, with a minimum period of 25 years' service for officers and 12 for men. No member of the German mercantile marine will be permitted any naval training.

Germany must surrender 42 modern destroyers, 50 modern torpedo boats, and all submarines with their salvage vessels. All war vessels under construction, including submarines, must be broken up. War vessels not otherwise provided for are to be placed in reserve or used for commercial purposes. Replacement of s.h.i.+ps, except those lost, can take place only at the end of 20 years for battles.h.i.+ps and 15 years for destroyers. The largest armored s.h.i.+p Germany will be permitted will be 10,000 tons.

CANNOT HAVE FIGHTING AIR CRAFT

For temporary purposes Germany may retain a small force of airplanes and a small force to operate them, but otherwise the entire air force is to be demobilized within two months. No aviation grounds or dirigible sheds are to be allowed within 150 kilometers of the Rhine or the eastern or southern frontiers, existing installations within these limits to be destroyed. The manufacture of aircraft and parts of aircraft is forbidden for six months. All military and naval aeronautical material under a most exhaustive definition must be surrendered within three months except for the 100 seaplanes already specified.

COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE ABANDONED

Conscription is abolished in Germany. The enlisted personnel must be maintained by voluntary enlistments for terms of 12 consecutive years, the number of discharges before the expiration of that term not in any year to exceed 5 per cent of the total effectives. Officers remaining in the service must agree to serve to the age of 45 years, and newly appointed officers must agree to serve actively for 25 years.

No military schools except those absolutely indispensable for the units allowed shall exist in Germany two months after the peace. No a.s.sociations such as societies of discharged soldiers, shooting or touring clubs, educational establishments, or universities may occupy themselves with military matters. All measures of mobilization are forbidden.

MANUFACTURE OF GUNS AND AMMUNITION FORBIDDEN

All establishments for the manufacturing, preparation, storage, or design of arms and munitions of war, except those specifically excepted, must be closed within three months of the peace and their personnel dismissed. The exact amount of armament and munitions allowed Germany is laid down in detail by tables, all in excess to be surrendered or rendered useless. The manufacture or importation of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases and all a.n.a.logous liquids is forbidden, as well as the importation of arms, munitions and war material. Germany may not manufacture such material for foreign governments.

WILLIAM II INDICTED AND HIS TRIAL SOUGHT

"The allied and a.s.sociated powers publicly arraign William II of Hohenzollern, formerly German Emperor, not for an offense against criminal law, but for a supreme offense against international morality and the sanct.i.ty of treaties."

The former Emperor's surrender is to be requested of Holland, and a special tribunal set up, composed of one judge from each of the five great powers, with full guarantees of the right of defense. It is to be guided "by the highest motives of international policy with a view of vindicating the solemn obligations of international undertakings and the validity of international morality," and will fix the punishment it feels should be imposed.

OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR CRUELTIES TO BE TRIED

Persons accused of having committed acts in violation of the laws and customs of war are to be tried and punished by military tribunals of only one state. They will be tried before a tribunal of that state; if they affect nationals of several states they will be tried before joint tribunals of the states concerned. Germany shall hand over to the a.s.sociated governments either jointly or severally all persons so accused, and all doc.u.ments and information necessary to insure full knowledge of the incriminating acts, the discovery of the offenders and the just appreciation of the responsibility. The accused will be ent.i.tled to name his own counsel.

GERMANY MUST PAY ALL THE DAMAGES SHE CAN

While the allied and a.s.sociated governments recognize that the resources of Germany are not adequate after taking into account permanent diminutions of such resources which will result from other treaty claims, to make complete reparation for all such loss and damage, they require her to make compensation for all damages caused to civilians under seven main categories:

These are now defined and the total obligation Germany is to pay is to be determined and notified to her after a fair hearing and not later than May 1, 1921, by an inter-allied reparation commission. At the same time a schedule of payments to discharge the obligation within 30 years shall be presented. These payments are subject to postponement in certain contingencies. Germany irrevocably recognizes the full authority of this commission, agrees to supply it with all the necessary information, and to pa.s.s legislation to effectuate its findings. She further agrees to restore to the Allies cash and certain articles which can be identified.

A PRESENT PAYMENT DEMANDED

As an immediate step forward restoration, Germany shall pay within two years 20,000,000,000 marks in either gold, goods, s.h.i.+ps, or other specific forms of payment, with the understanding that certain expenses such as those of the armies of occupation and payments for food and raw materials may be deducted at the discretion of the Allies.

It is now provided that a commission shall have charge of future payments and the amounts of such payment is left to be decided by the commission.

MUST REPLACE s.h.i.+PS SUNK BY SUBMARINES

The German Government recognizes the right of the Allies to the replacement, ton for ton and cla.s.s for cla.s.s, of all merchant s.h.i.+ps and fis.h.i.+ng boats lost or damaged owing to the war, and agrees to cede to the Allies all German merchant s.h.i.+ps of 1,600 tons gross and upward, one-half of her s.h.i.+ps between 1,600 and 1,000 tons gross, and one-quarter of her steam trawlers and other fis.h.i.+ng boats. These s.h.i.+ps are to be delivered within two months to the reparation committee, together with doc.u.ments of t.i.tle evidencing the transfer of the s.h.i.+ps free from inc.u.mbrance.

"As an additional part of reparation," the German Government further agrees to build merchant s.h.i.+ps for the account of the Allies to the amount of not exceeding 200,000 tons gross annually during the next five years.

MUST RESTORE DEVASTATED AREAS

"Germany undertakes to devote her economic resources directly to the physical restoration of the invaded areas. The reparation commission is authorized to require Germany to replace the destroyed articles and to manufacture materials required for reconstruction purposes, all with due consideration for Germany's essential domestic requirements.

"The German Government is also to restore to the French Government certain papers taken by the German authorities in 1870 belonging then to M. Reuther, and to restore the French flags taken during the war of 1870 and 1871. As reparation for the destruction of the library of Louvain, Germany is to hand over ma.n.u.scripts, early printed books, prints, etc., to be equivalent to those destroyed.

"In addition to the above Germany is to hand over to Belgium wings now at Berlin belonging to the altar piece of the 'Adoration of the Lamb,'

by Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, the center of which is now in the church of St. Bavo at Ghent, and the wings now at Berlin and Munich, of the altar piece of 'Last Supper,' by Dirk Bouts, the center of which belongs to the church of St. Peter at Louvain.

MUST PAY COST OF ARMY OF OCCUPATION

"Germany is required to pay the total cost of the armies of occupation from the date of the armistice as long as they are maintained in German territory, this cost to be a first charge after making such provisions for payments for imports as the Allies may deem necessary. Germany is to deliver to the allied and a.s.sociated powers all sums deposited in Germany by Turkey and Austria-Hungary in connection with the financial support extended by her to them during the war, and to transfer to the Allies all claims against Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, or Turkey in connection with agreements made during the war. Germany confirms the renunciation of the treaties of Bucharest and Brest-Litovsk.

TRADE AND COMMERCE REGULATED

"Customs--For a period of six months Germany shall impose no tariff duties higher than the lowest in force in 1914, and for certain agricultural products, wines, vegetables, oils, artificial silk, and washed or scoured wool this restriction obtains for two and a half years, or for five years unless further extended by the league of nations.

"Germany must give most favored nation treatment to the allied and a.s.sociated powers. She shall impose no customs tariff for five years on goods originating in Alsace-Loraine and for three years on goods originating in former German territory ceded to Poland with the right of observation of a similar exception for Luxemburg.

"s.h.i.+ps of the allied and a.s.sociated powers shall for five years, and thereafter under condition of reciprocity, unless the league of nations otherwise decides, enjoy the same rights in German ports as German vessels and have most favored nation treatment in fis.h.i.+ng, coasting trade, and towage, even in territorial waters. s.h.i.+ps of a country having no sea coast may be registered at some one place within its territory.

FREEDOM OF TRANSIT

"Germany must grant freedom of transit through her territories by mail or water to persons, goods, s.h.i.+ps, carriages and mails from or to any of the allied or a.s.sociated powers without customs or transit duties, undue delays, restrictions or discriminations based on nationality, means of transport or place of entry or departure. Goods in transit shall be a.s.sured all possible speed of journey, especially perishable goods.

Germany may not divert traffic from its normal course in favor of her own transport routes or maintain "control stations" in connection with transmigration traffic. She may not establish any tax discrimination against the ports of allied or a.s.sociated powers, must grant the latter's seaports all factors and reduced tariffs granted her own or other nationals, and afford the allied and a.s.sociated powers equal rights with those of her own nationals in her ports and waterways, save that she is free to open or close her maritime coasting trade.