THE ARMISTICE TERMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 55, 29 November 1918, Page 5

THE ARMISTICE TERMS

GERMAN TEARS CONTINUE

TO FLOW

AN INTERVIEW WITH ERZBERGER

WHY HE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT

New York, November 27. Mr. Amo Dorsch Fleurot cables from Berlin via Copenhagen to the New York "World" an interview with Herr Erzberger (leader of the Centre Party), who was one of the armistice delegates. Herr Erzbcrger said:

"1. signed the armistice because there was not anything else to <la, since we had readied a political crisis, and wo could not continue the war without disaster. But even while I signed it I feared it would bo impossible to conform to the agreement, and protested to Marshal Foch, who did not believe in the sincerity or urgency of our protest. He thought it was a German ruse, designed to gain time for the preparation of a new attack, and did not seem to realise that wo were forced to sign any conditions, because Germany must have peace. I do not see how we can meet our obligations without weakening the country seriously, and causing grave political results. The evacuation of France and Belgium by our troops in the time allowed is impossible, Common sense will dictate a further extension of the time, but even so we are leaving behind army provisions which were larger than the food reserves in Germany. We fear that the German troops furthest from tlue Rhine will become panicky, fearing they will not reach the Khine in time, and thus will be interned. This may result in disorder, which will have bad consequences on the young German democracy. Germany has about 900,000 railroad cars, of which 250,000 are now in Poland, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Rumania. These are useless, and the remainder is not enough, and is being put to the maximum use. The surrender of 150,000 cars within the armistico period will make the car situation in the interior of Germany most difficult. Our railroad equipment is sadly war-worn. We are required by the armjstice to deliver only good material, and the demand for several thousand locomotives, when one-third of our locomotives are unworkable, is enormous. The armistice provided for food being sent to Germany during the armistice, but there is not yet a 6ign of such food, nnd we need it."— &us.-N.Z. Cable Assn.