WHEN GERMANY LEARNED THE TRUTH.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 May 1919, Page 5

WHEN GERMANY LEARNED THE TRUTH.

TRAGIC MEETING OF LEADERS

What follows is a hitherto unwritten chapter in the history of Germany's defeat and eltimatc collapse, says tire Rotteidam correspondent of the Daily Chronicle.

'it. will be remembered that in his speech of r:. fence in the National Assembly. Erzberger stated that on November 10 o telegram was received from the Great Headquarters, telling the German Armistice Commission tint, whilst seokirg amelioration, they must in any event, assent to whatever conditions Marshal Foch wished to impose —in effect. that German must surrender On terms. What Erzberger did not say —and what has up to now not been publicly disclosed—is that Hindenburg gave practically the same dread command —and in peremptory form —as long previously as Sep- » tempo: 28. DRAMATIC GATHERING. '

11l the "early moming hours of that day six members of* the Reichstag each received a Government, telegram. depotchccl in the course of the previous night. The telegram instructed thorn to appear by nine o'clock the same marring at the Home Ministry in order to receive a confidential communication from the Government.

At the appointed hour there were present in a waiting room of the Home Ministry.. Count Westarp (of the Conservatives). Stresemann (National Liberals), Groebcr (Centrum), Ebert (Majority Socialists), and Haase (Independents). All were equally and greatly surprised at finding themselves in such an exclusive assembly of party leaders.

Into a room laden with this atmosphere of suspense there came one of the State Secretaries, who. after an embarrassed pause, exclaimed. "It is terrible!'' Although none knew exactly what, the, words implied, one of the party leaders said "But it had to come and could only be a question of time." "What do you mean?" asked the secretary. "Why." was -the reply, "(he defeat of Austria."

"If it were only that!" said the secretary.'and, sighing, left the room.

SIX TERRIFIED MEN

Just afterwards the six now terrified men were summoned into his priaroun'd the table, and then the ViceChancellor. They seated themselves around the fable, and then teh ViceChancellor. with an expression of deadly seriousness, and in sombre, almost solemn-sounding tones, said: "Gentlemen, I have an extremely painful 'communication to make to you. The Army Command last evening informed the Government by telephone that it' has come to the conviction that the war can no longer be won. and that we must, as speedily as possible—in fact, without the hast delay —ask for an armistice. The effect of these words was criisli-

One of the-' .leaders (lien remarked, faintly: "Then Alsace-Lorraine is

pone?"

"Yes, it is gone." affirmed (lie Vice Chancellor.

"And probably Poson, also?" queried another. "Also to that thought must we try. to reconcile ourselves," answered Von Payer.