The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-08
GERMAN REPLY
EXPECTED PROMPTLY
CONTINUED from page ID

| equator, exclusive or the SamoanS ana
Pleasant island 10 Australia.
The Germans took their seats ana
listened with unchanged expression
I to Premier Clemenceau's speech.
When Observation-Disclosures arose to
reply, his hands trembled. His voice
was husky and uncertain. The Ger
man interpreters initiated their own
system Of translating by sentences.
AS he progressed, the count De-
4 came more certain of himself ana
his voice grew stronger. The attache
who translated his words into Eng
lish bitterly emphasized his thrusts
at the allies.
1t was apparent that some of the
delegates had been prepared to be
/ bored, but as the speech progressed
buzz of conversation passed around
the table where the allied delegates
sat. Expressions OF surprise ap-
peared on some faces. Clemenceau
showed open dispieasure at some
passages. But not muscle of Presi-
dent Wilson'S face moved. When
Observation-Disclosures had finished,
Clemenceau arose and simply an
nounced that the meeting was adj
journed ALI the allies remained in
their seats until the Germans had
left the hotel.
A bound copy Of the treaty, with
Conditions of Peace" printed on
the cover, was at all places except
those occupied by the Germans.
When the delegates had assembled.
Secretary Dutasta handed Brock
dorffRantzau a copy of the pact,
but the latter made no move to open
it during Clemenceau's speech.
Before the session opened, the
hotel was filled with a brilliant as
se1nblage of soldiers and diploma
lists. Marshal Foch gossiped with
other famous military leaders and
later sat with the French delegation.
The Italian delegates were cordially
greeted by their conferees when
they arrived and took their place at
the table. The German newspaper
correspondents entered the confer
ence room half an hour before tho
meeting was called to order and i'm
rnediately began making copious
notes.
Germans Begin Complaining
BERLIN, May THE press, COM
nenting on the advance summary Of
the peace terms today, declared that
several of the points could not be &C
cepted. The Tageblatt, for instance,
said that 100000 soldiers is not suffi-
cient to maintain internal order and
added:
1--WE decline to have an eternal
state of anarchy"
The newspapers pronounced the in
demnity excessive and denounced dis
position Of Danzig and the Saar val
ley.
Germans Work All Might.
VERSAILLES, May S.-The German
J delegates worked almost all night dis
secting and Analysing the text OF the
peace treaty. Foreign Minister Brock
dorff-Rantzau today was preparing
full report which will be sent to Ber-
lin tonight by special courier.
Austria and Turkey Next.
PARIS, May S.--The ''big four" to-
cav began discussion of the program
for presenting peace terms to Austria,
Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
The committee arranging the AUS
TITAN treaty has been instructed to
port before Monday.
Humiliation and Defeat.
[By Fred S. Ferguson, United Press
Staff Correspondent
VERSAILLES, May 7.-Humilia-
. ton, defeat, tragedy-all the darker
; emotions possible to human express
sion-then obsequious admission OF
their wrongs; and finally defiance
and claims of a place as equals That
represents the range of the Germans
lrct lf
Versailles since 1871.
Deepest silence reigned in the con-
; ference room at the Trianon Palace
hotel this afternoon after allied dele
gates had been seated.
AS the doors opened, signalling the
approach of the enemy representa-
tives, an usher. Respondent in blue
; uniform, preceded them and cried:
} "Messieurs Les Plenipotentiaries
de l'allemagne"
Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, his face
ashen white and his eyes trimmed
with dark circles, was the center of
the German group. His hands were
clasped in front at arms length and
HE slowly bowed his head. 1t was
not a bow of greeting, but one of alb
ject resignation.
When Observation-Disclosures left the
room he was paler than ever and
his face pictured supreme tragedy,
mixed with desperation.
Followed by his fellow delegates
he approached the check room, hand
j ed in his hat check and waited abso-
luteIy motionless for fully three min
utes while the attendants collected
his belongings. His expression did
not change an iota. When he started
for the waiting automobile he slowly
took out his cigarette case, took a
proffered light and entered his car.
Making Other Treaties
[By Ed L. Keen. United Press Staff
COrrepDOndent I