Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1919-07-05

ailles.-World peace was signed
and sealed in the historic Hall OF Mir
rors at Versailles Saturday afternoon.
June 28, but under circumstances
which somewhat dimmed the expecta'
tions Of those who had worked and
fought during long years OF war and
months OF negotiations for its achieve
msnt.
This formally ended the world war
wnich lasted just 3. days less than Ave
years Saturday the day OF peace,
was the NTH anniversary OF the mur'
der OF Archduke Francis Ferdinand at
Serajeyo.
The Allied note to the German dele.
CATION dealing with ratification OF the
treaty by Germany was delivered late
In the afternoon. 1t is pointed out In
the note. among other things that with.
drawal OF the blockade OF Germany
depends on ratification OF the treaty.
DR.. Hermann Mueller and DR. Bell
and about so members OF the German
mission left Versailles at $40 o'clock
going to the Noisy-Le-Roi station.
There they boarded a train on their
return trip to Germany.
Forty Germany secretaries will re.
main in Versailles TO conclude the az
fairs OF the German delegation
As a contrast with the Franco-Ger-
man peace session OF 1871 held In the
same hall there were present grizzled
French veterans Of the Franco-Prus.
sian war They replaced the prussian'
guardsmen OF the previous ceremony
and the Frenchmen watched the cere.
mony with grim satisfaction.
The conditions of 1871 were exactly
reversed The disciples Of Bismarck
sat In the seats OF the lowly while the
white marble statue OF Minerva. God.
dess ~ War. looked on. Overhead. on
the frescoed ceiling were scenes from
Frances ancient wars.
Three incidents were emphasized by
the s'noothneSs with which the cere'
mony was conducted The hrst OF
these was the failure Of the Chinese
delegates to sign. The second was the
protest submitted bv Gen. Jan Chris.
tian Smuts who declared the peace un.
satisfactory The third, unknown to
the general public came from the Ger.
mans When The program for the cere.
mony was shown to the German dele
CATION. Herr yon Haimhausen. OF the
German delegation. went to Col Henri
French liaison officer. and protested
He said
We cannot admit that the German
delegates should enter the hall by a
different door than the Entente dele
gates: nor that military honors should
be withheld Had we known there
would he such arrangements before,
the delegates would not have come.
After conference with the French
Foreign Ministry. II was decided. as .
compromise to render military honors
as the Germans left Otherwise the
program was not changed.
The German delegates. Foreign
Minister Mueller and Colonial Min.
!ster Bell were ushered into the Hall
OF Mirrors AZ 3os o'clock
Ceremonies Opened.
Premier Ciemenceau. as president Of
the Peace Conference. opened the cere.
monies with the following statement.
The session Is open The Allied and
Associated Powers on one side and the
German Re!ch on the other side have
come TO an agreement on the cond.
tions ~ peace
The text has been completed and
the president ~ the conference has
stated. in writing. that the text that
IL about 10 he signed now is identical
with the coo copies that have been
delivered 10 the German delegation.
"'fhr signatures will he given now
and they amount 10 solemn under
taking. faithfully and Loyalty. to exc,
cute the conditions embodied by this
treaty OF peace.
II now invite the delegates OF the
German Reich 10 sign the treaty"
Germans First To Sign.
Mueller was the first TO sign. placing
his signature on the document at 3:i2
O'clock Bell followed him.
President Wilson. the first OF the
Allied delegates TO sign. wrote his
name on the treaty at 3:l4 o'clock
Premier Lloyd George signed two
minutes later.
The British colonial representatives
signed Immediately after the British
delegation. General Smuts. OF South
Africa. signed under protest. issuing 4