Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-07
Events Leading Up
to Presentation
of Peace Treaty

New York, May The treaty
handed to the Germans today at YER
sailles is the result of the work of the
representatives of the allied and as
sociated powers arrayed against Ger
many who convened officially on Jan.
| lS, less than four months ago. The
! time between the arnistice, Nov. IL,
and Jan. Is was occupied In preparing
claims and reports, in the selection of
| delegates, and in their travel to
Paris.
| President Wilson and the American
delegates sailed from New York OH
Dec. 4, 1918. and when the president
set foot at Brest on Dec. is he was
the first American president to visit
Europe while in office. The inter-
vening months before the opening OF
! the conference were spent by the
president in becoming acquainted
, with allied statesmen and in visiting
England, Italy and parts of France.
The first act of the peace conference
at its meeting on Jan. Is was to elect
Georges Clemenceau, premier of
France, as chairman. On Jan. 21 the
conference adopted the proposal that
, all Russian factions meet on the
Princess islands to discuss the Rus
sian situation. Nothing ever came of
the proposal. Three days later the
| conference ordered fighting over dis
puted territory to cease.
! The plan for a league of nations was
concurred in by the conference on
: Jan. "a and a committee was ap-
pointed to draw up a covenant. Dis
cussion in the supreme council or
council Of ten, which included two rep
resentatives from Great Britain.
France, Italy. Japan and the United
States, then turned to the form of the
future got rnment territory freed
from enen14 rule and on Jan. 80 the
conference saecepted the plan OF man
/ datories for aeolonies and backward
nations. ~
On Feb. Il the league of nations
commissions reported the covenant it
had prepared. President Wilson left
Brest on b. Is on his return to the
United STATES. He arrived at Boston
on Feb, 24pahd after explaining the
league covenant and making several
speeches, started on his return to
France on March and reached Brest
on March s13. Meanwhile the work Of
the council of ten had continued ex-
cept for the interruption incident to
the attempt to assassipate Premier
Clemenceau on Feb. 10.
! The various ]. commissions Of the
conferences continued their labors un-
finterrnptedlys On, March 90 in ordeg
i to speed up the work, the council Of
ften. was broken up in two bodies, a
council OF, four and a council of for
eign ministers. The council Of four
was composed Of Premiers Orlando,
Clemenceau, Lloyd-Georse and Presi-
| dent Wilson.
A furore in conference circles was
created on April Z when President
! Wilson summoned the transport
George Washington to come to Brest
| at once and it was reported the presi-
dent intended to return home.
| A statement on reparations and
the time, was believed to have
| prompted his action.
i On April II at plenary session the
conference adopted the report on the
| international labor legislation COM
mittee and on April ii the reparation
demands to be made on Germany were
announced. On April 16 the Germans
were invited to send delegates to re-
ceive the treaty.
With the German treaty near COM
pletion the question Of Italy.s claims
in the Adriatic came to the front. On
April % President Wilson issued
statement that Fiume could not be-
long to Italy. The Italian delegation
announced it's intention Of leaving
Paris and on April "a Premier Orlando
started for Rome. Scarcely had he de-
ported than the>vanguard Of the Ger
man delegation reached Versailles on
April 25. to be followed on April 80 by
the principal delegates. Previously the
Germans had expressed the intention
of sending messengers" to receive the
treaty, but finally were compelled to
send delegates with full powers.
In the absence Of the Italian dele
gates the conference on April %
adopted the revised covenant Of the
league of nations.
Geneva was selected as the seat Of
the league and Sir Erick Drummond, of
Great Britain was made first secretary
general.
! On Apri! 90 the council Of three
reached an agreement on the question
Of shantung which gave the territory
to the Japanese, who are to turn it
over later to the Chinese.
The first meeting with the Germans
took place on May l.. when credentials
were exchanged at Versailles.
On Monday it was announced that
Premier Orlando and the other Ital-
ian delegates were returning to Paris
in time for the handing of the peace
treaty to the Germans.