The page(s) below need to be transcribed and/or reviewed. Click the button to the right of a page to transcribe or review the text’s transcription.
For transcription tips and more information about transcribing documents in the Jane Addams Digital Edition, please visit About Transcribing.
TEMPORARY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
PROTEST MANIFESTO AGAINST THE [TREATY] OF PEACE OF VERSAILLES (JULY 5, 1919)
On behalf of the "Central Committee for the Resumption of International Relations" (affiliated to the Union of Democratic Control, London) and associated organizations, we protest against the peace treaty that Germany was forced to sign.
This treaty, [violated] in our opinion, the conditions and principles on the faith of which the German nation laid down its arms. [page 2]
As it stands, this peace treaty constitutes an indefensible violation of this international morality, the achievement of which was the goal that [declared] to pursue the Allied and Associated Governments. The terms of the armistice imposed on and accepted by Germany in November 1918 were such as to leave the German infantry without any defense other than the word given by the Allied and Associated governments.
And it was agreed on both sides that President Wilson's [in] points were the fundamental foundations of peace.
However, the peace treaty which is in flagrant contradiction with the said in points, tends to reduce the new democratic Germany to the situation of a vassal state, to prevent its commercial recovery, to exclude it from international life, to crush the spirit of his people!
The exclusion of the Germans from the League of Nations, the imposition of enormous and indefinite charges, the disarmament which only of all the powers of Europe [alao] must carry out, all of this highlights this purpose.
They are robbed of most of their river and sea fleet, [as well as many commercial cables. Their possessions are confiscated in Africa and Asia, and they are prohibited from any activity in these two continents.
Despite, that from what precedes it follows that the German people, because of this treaty which they were forced by violence to sign, is that of a people of slaves working for their armed conquerors.
We have the firm conviction that such a peace, which is a democratic betrayal, will excite any true democrat, any man of conscience to work without respite for the revision of a treaty which shows, once again that the maintenance of hatred national, the pursuit of imperialist annexations and and short-sighted revenge that leads to the worst injustices, are still the goals of this official world that no experience can explain.
As far as we are concerned, we solemnly declare today, [page 3] that our conscience categorically refuses to recognize this treaty as having moral value, and that consequently, we consider as the main task the task of replacing it with peace. consistent with the aspirations and ideals of all people.
E. D. MOREL Secretary General of the Union of Democratic Control, London).
EMILY BALCH.
CHARLOTTE DESPARD.
Mrs. CHARLES RODEN BUXTON.
Mrs. PHILIP SNOWDEN.
Mrs. E. PETHICK LAWRENCE.
MARY CHURCH TERRELL.
ENRICO BIGNAMI
Dr. NICOLAS [ROUBAKINE]
Dr. MARIE RUSIECKA
Dr. [F]. ERDRICH.
Mrs. J. MERZ.
Dr. H. BUCHLI.
S. A. WAHEED.
JACQUES SERVANCE.
PROTEST MANIFESTO AGAINST THE [TREATY] OF PEACE OF VERSAILLES (JULY 5, 1919)
On behalf of the "Central Committee for the Resumption of International Relations" (affiliated to the Union of Democratic Control, London) and associated organizations, we protest against the peace treaty that Germany was forced to sign.
This treaty, [violated] in our opinion, the conditions and principles on the faith of which the German nation laid down its arms. [page 2]
As it stands, this peace treaty constitutes an indefensible violation of this international morality, the achievement of which was the goal that [declared] to pursue the Allied and Associated Governments. The terms of the armistice imposed on and accepted by Germany in November 1918 were such as to leave the German infantry without any defense other than the word given by the Allied and Associated governments.
And it was agreed on both sides that President Wilson's [in] points were the fundamental foundations of peace.
However, the peace treaty which is in flagrant contradiction with the said in points, tends to reduce the new democratic Germany to the situation of a vassal state, to prevent its commercial recovery, to exclude it from international life, to crush the spirit of his people!
The exclusion of the Germans from the League of Nations, the imposition of enormous and indefinite charges, the disarmament which only of all the powers of Europe [alao] must carry out, all of this highlights this purpose.
They are robbed of most of their river and sea fleet, [as well as many commercial cables. Their possessions are confiscated in Africa and Asia, and they are prohibited from any activity in these two continents.
Despite, that from what precedes it follows that the German people, because of this treaty which they were forced by violence to sign, is that of a people of slaves working for their armed conquerors.
We have the firm conviction that such a peace, which is a democratic betrayal, will excite any true democrat, any man of conscience to work without respite for the revision of a treaty which shows, once again that the maintenance of hatred national, the pursuit of imperialist annexations and and short-sighted revenge that leads to the worst injustices, are still the goals of this official world that no experience can explain.
As far as we are concerned, we solemnly declare today, [page 3] that our conscience categorically refuses to recognize this treaty as having moral value, and that consequently, we consider as the main task the task of replacing it with peace. consistent with the aspirations and ideals of all people.
E. D. MOREL Secretary General of the Union of Democratic Control, London).
EMILY BALCH.
CHARLOTTE DESPARD.
Mrs. CHARLES RODEN BUXTON.
Mrs. PHILIP SNOWDEN.
Mrs. E. PETHICK LAWRENCE.
MARY CHURCH TERRELL.
ENRICO BIGNAMI
Dr. NICOLAS [ROUBAKINE]
Dr. MARIE RUSIECKA
Dr. [F]. ERDRICH.
Mrs. J. MERZ.
Dr. H. BUCHLI.
S. A. WAHEED.
JACQUES SERVANCE.
BERNE THIS 5 JULY 1919
Comments