The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-16
WASHINGTON IS !
NOT INFORMED
As to Reasons for Postponing
Steps to Bring Peace
Treaty Into Force.
THREE NATIONS READY

Washington, Oct. 16.-OficiaIs II
Washington professed today to hay
no information as to the reasons I
postponing the exchange at Paris
ratification of the treaty of Vers
les by Great Britain, France, i
and Germany. which would brin5 :
treaty into immediate force.
There was a suggestion that :.
fication had been proposed b. : : {
the league Of nations would b I; c
assemble within fifteen days a nc
treaty went into effect, but ST. le-
partment officials would not express
an opinion on this point.
Those asserting the league must
meet within fifteen days after the
treaty takes effect. pointed to Article
4S, of the document, which provides
for the appointment of commission
within that time to fix the limitation
line Of the Saare basin, which is to be
administered by commission repre-
senting the league. The boundary
commission is to be composed OF
hve members, three, to be appointed
by the council of the league and one
each representing France and Ger
many.
The league covenant provides the
league council shall consist of rep.
resentatives of the five great powers,
the United States. Great Britain,
France, Italy and Japan, and of Bel
gium. Brazil. Greece and Spain.
Only three of these nations have
ratified the treaty.
While Processing Ignorance.
While processing to have no Of
fetal information on the subject, Of
ficials said they assumed if the treaty
were put into force with only three
OF the allied and associated powers
completing ratification, those powers
would proceed with the organization
of the league.
Directly the treaty comes into force
through exchange of ratifications by
three Of the allied and associated
powers and Germany. many of its
clauses will become effective. Chief
among these is that requiring Ger
many to issue 100000, 100000 marks
for bonds for the reparation of de-
vastated territories.
For Immediate Effect.
Other provisions" of the treaty
to become effective Immediately.
require:
Destruction Of unfinished Ger
man surface warships.
Disarmament of auxiliary ships
of war; four of which are in
neutral ports, and twenty eight
in German ports.
Formal surrender of German
surface warships interned in al
lied aSd neutral fspcrfs, and now in
u charge of German caretakers
Delivery Of all German military
and naval aviation material, in
cluding dirisibles, except 100 un-
armed seaplanes, to be retained
as part of the German mine
sweeping force. .
Destruction of all military
forces situated within fifty kilo-
meters from the German coast.
Notification of the number,
calibre and types of guns form
ing the armament of the land and
sea fortresses which Germany is
allowed to keep.
Immediate dissolution of mill
tary and quasimilitary organi-
cations, associations or clubs in
upper Silesia and the establish
ment of an international commit
tee in upper Silesia and an in
terallied military occupation of
the country.
That no armed forces be main
tanned or collected and no for
tifications constructed on the left
bank of the Rhine within a dis
tance of fifty kilometers east of
the river
The handing over by the Ger
man government of the archives,
registered plans of the properties
ceded to Belgium by the treaty
and the restitution of the docu-
ments of which the Germans took
possession during their occu-
patton.
Immediate return of the arch
ives, registered plans, ETC., which
concern Alsace- Lorraine.
Return of property and interest
of Alsatians and Lorrainers be-
longing to them on Nov. II, 1918.
Reciprocal communications by
the contracting parties of all in
formation relative to the dead.