DRAMATIC STORY OF GERMANY'S FALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3398, 30 April 1919, Page 37

DRAMATIC STORY OF GERMANY'S FALL.

THE FINAL COLLAPSE. By Leonard Spray, in. the Daily Telegraph. ROTTERDAM, March 4. What follows is a hitherto unwritten chapter in the history of Germany's defeat and ultimate collapse. Among other things, it disposes once for all of the fiction stili promulgated in many quarters that the downfall was brought about by internal and subsidiary causes —in the last event the November revolution — : and it provides, con elusive proof that Germany's surrender was a direct result of the military circumstances imposed upon her by the Allies long before there manifested themselves the other conditions upon which the supporters of the old regime still lay the blame for the great oatasfcrophe. It will be remembered that in his recent speech in the National Assembly Erzberger stated that on November 10 a telegram was reoeived from the Great Headquarters telling the German Armistice Commission that, whi|lst seeking amelioration, they must in any event assent to whatever oenditions Marshal Foch wished to impose—in effect, that Germany 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 sSme dread command, and in a peremptory form, as Jong previously as September 28. In the early morning hours of that day six members of the Reichstag each received a Government telegram despatched in the course of the previous night. This telegram instructed them to appear at 9 o'clock the same morning at the Home Ministry, in order to receive a confidential communication from the Government. The meeting accordingly took place. As will be seen from the account which follows, written from information supplied by one of those present, it was of the most dramatic and, for those who attended it, tragic character.

At the appointed tour there found thcrneelves in the waiting room of the Homo Ministry, Count Westarp. of the Conservatives; Herr Stresemann, of the National Liberals; Herr Groeber. of the Centrum Party; Herr Ebert, of the Majority Socialists; and Herr Haase. of the Independents All were equally and greatly surprised at finding themselves in such an exclusive assembly of party leaders. Significantly exclusive,' for there were missing, and had clearly not been ' invited, such party magnates as Herr Heydebrand, of the Conservatives ; Herr Erzberger, of the- Centre ; and Herr Scheidemann, of the Socialists. It must be information of a truly extraordinarily confidential character which was to be imparted to such a small group, and yet a group representative of every party in the State. Whilst waiting to be summoned to the Ministerial presence, they feverishly discussed the probable nature of the communication. Little did they guess at the bombshell which was to ba thrown into their midst, and it casts a penetrating searchlight on the degree to which* even, the responsible political leaders had been kept in the dark by the Military, Command as to the true state of affairs to know that the worst thing they feared was an announcement that Austria was about to renounce her alliance. And not all of them believed it could be even so bad as that. Into the i 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 worc.s implied, one of the party leaders said: *' But it had to come, and could only be a question of time." "What do vou mean?" asked the secretary. "Why," was the reply, " the defection of Austria." "If it were only that," said the secretary, and, sighing, left the room. Just afterwards the now terrified men w.ere .summoned into his private room by Horr von Payer, Vice-Chancellor. They seated themselves around a table, and then the VieeChancellor, with an expression of deadly seriousness, and in sombre, almost solemn, 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 conclusion that the war can no longer be won, and that we must, as speedily as possible—in fact, without the least delayask for an armistice." The effect of these words was crushing. No one had contemplated the possibility of such a catastrophe. There was profound silence for a few moments. Then one of the six found his tongue, and falteringly asked if the Government had not known earlier that tilings were taking such a course. After having made hi3'terrible announcement von Payer had remained standing, with, lowered head,.; and with fingers resting on the table, as if supporting himself by that means. _ When this question was put he slowly raised his head, and, looking at the questioner with mournful eyes, replied:— "No, the Government had no reason to suspect anything of the kind. The telephonic communication of last evening was the first that the Army Command had said as to the fatal acuteness of the situation." There was suflh hopeless dejection in the tone with which he uttered these words that no one present could doubt the truth. Another of the leaders then remarked, faintly: — ( " Then Alsace-Lorraine is gone. ' " Yes, it is gone," affirmed the Vicechancellor " And probably Posen, also-?" queried another. "Also to that though must we try to reconcile ourselves," answered von Payer, adding: " On its own the Government has still done the following. It has asked the Army Leadership to come to Berlin and explain exactly the position, and why it has come about so suddenly." Such was the manner in which the German Government first announced Germany's defeat. As was betrayed by their individual demeanour, the effect on those to whom the announcement was made was appalling. Count Westarp, deathly white, sat motionless, staring as if at an incredible spectre. Streeemann bore himself fairly well, but his hands resting on the table were shaking. The patriarchial head of the old, grey Groeber was sunk so low that his long beard spread itself out over the table. But, curiously enough, one of the six who seemed most shocked was Fritz Ebert —the Socialist who a few weeks later was to find himsel the first' President of the new German Republic. Huddled together, he

stared into vacancy, with frightened that seemed to be visualising ail the coining terrors.