APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS 199
it, that makes the situation still more serious, and renders it allthe more necessary that the Allies should bring the leaders ofpublic opinion once more face to face with facts. The firstessential fact for them to realise is this—that the Allies , whilstprepared to listen to every reasonable plea arising out of Germany 'sdifficulties, cannot allow any further paltering with the Treaty .
The Ultimatum
" We have therefore decided—having regard to the infractionsalready committed, to the determination indicated in theseproposals that Germany means still further to defy and explainaway the Treaty , and to the challenge issued not merely in theseproposals but in official statements made in Germany by theGerman Government—that we must act upon the assumptionthat the German Government are not merely in default, butdeliberately in default; and unless we hear by Monday thatGermany is either prepared to accept the Paris decisions orto submit proposals which will in other ways be an equallysatisfactory discharge of her obligations under the Treaty ofVersailles (subject to the concessions made in the Paris pro-posals), we shall, as from that date, take the following courseunder the Treaty of Versailles .
(1) To occupy the towns of Duisburg, Ruhrort , and Diisseldorf,
on the right bank of the Rhine.
(2) To obtain powers from their respective Parliaments
requiring their nationals to pay a certain proportionof all payments due to Germany on German goodsto their several Governments, such proportion to beretained on account of reparations. (This is in respectof goods purchased either in this country or in anyother Allied country from Germany .)
(3) (a) The amount of the duties collected by the German
Customs houses on the external frontiers of the occupiedterritories to be paid to the Reparation Commission.