Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-08
TREATY DELIVERED
BY AERIAL COURIER
German Delegation Fully Aware
of the Extent of Military
Disaster.
MEETING AT VERSAILLES
Premier Clemenceau Says That
Hour Has Come for Heavy
Settlement.
MEETING AT VERSAILLES

VERSAILLES. May In opening
the session OF the peace congress.
NJ. C!emenccau. the presiding officer,
speaking 10 the German plenipo,en,i-
aries, said:
IT is unnecessary to express need :
less words. You have before you the
pienipotcntiarics OF the small and great
powers united in this most cruel war.
which was imposed upon them The
hour has arrived for a heavy settle
ment Of account
Paul Dutasta, secretary general of
the peace conference. delivered a COPY.
OF the treaty to Count Won Brockdorft-
Rantzau. head OF the German deleya-
ton. who made a brief reply
Count Won Brockdorf- Rantzau said:
we declare that We do not deny
the extent OF our defeat. We know the
power Of the German armies is broken
Immediately after this afternoon S
session. at which the treaty of peace
was handed to the German delegates.
Count Won Brockdorff- -Ran;zau, chair
man OF the delegation. gave a copy of
the document TO a trusted aerial cour-
Ter. who at once started on the flight
to Weimar, where he will hand the
treaty 10 the Ebert Cabinet The meet
ing tnis afternoon was concluded A..
3:3l o'clock.
The terms were contained in a
which was handed TO the German
Dlenipotentiaries at a, memorable as
ssrhblage here. attended by the dele
gates OF the twcnty-sevcn nations
when are parties to the peace pact
Inc treaty, 1t is noted, has to do
WITH Germany alone. except in so far
as 1t is required that she accept agree
ments made by the allies with the other
central powers.
The document. long as 1t is, is
shorter than was indicated by some Of
the forecasts, which estimated its
length at 100, 900 words
The treaty is not printed in German.
The text is in French and English, on
opposite pages.
Orlando Arrives at Paris.
Allied representation at tho cere
no thhoniaI TO-DAY WAS made complete by
snd ,ttoRio RI 90 Orisando, the Italian Premier.
ister, who, it had been feared for a
the assIe Rer Is ot
The Italians, however indicated that
they thought, it necessary that a solid
msee a,sied front be presented to the Ger.
from Rome despite the incompiete t
state OF the Adriatic negotiations,
y Which rnsi h. however. though they might
Hungary, do not figure in the making
OF peace with Germany
Inc Day likewise found the repre-
sentatyes Of Japan aligned squarely
with the other powers, any complica-
tions that might have been threatened
over the question Of kiaochau and the
wording OF the league of nations COW
enant having been smoothed over.
The ceremonial Of handing the
treaty TO the Germans took place in
the nall OF the. Trianon Palace Hotel.
spacious. vel lighted chamber, with
tables for the delegates arranged near
ly In the form OF a square. IL was
presided over by Georges Clemenceau,
the french Premier, president OF the
peace congress, who sat at the center
or the head table. with President vii
son and the other American represen-
tatres on his right and David Llovd
george, the British Premier and his
colleagues on the left. Mrs Wilson
was an interested spectator OF the
function