River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-07-03

DencneS provided for the privileged
guests invited to the ceremony, but the
10 privates from each of the principal
armies stood within the Enclosure re-
served for the plenipotentiaries and
high officials Of the conference as the
visible sign Of their role in bringing
into being a new Europe. 4
Soldiers Stand Near Foch.
The soldiers stood in the 1embra5ures
Of the windows overlooking the cha
teau park, few feet from their cCm-
mander In chief, Marshal Foch, who
was seated with the French delegation
at the peace table.
A change in the program was intro
duced as result of the attitude taken
by the German government, press and
public toward the execution and bind
ing validity of the treaty. The Ger
| man plenipotentiaries instead OF be-
ing regarded from the moment of sig
nature as representatives of a formally
friendly power with which diplomatic
relations have been renewed, left the
hall after the signature separately by
the door through which they entered,
not joining the general procession Of
delegates to the terrace of the chateau
to watch the playing Of the great
fountain of Versailles.
Only Formally to Germans.
For the Germans peace was regard
ed as concluded from the moment Of
no RI fioofio,, since +I,o Horvx,ov, <.oxrorr
ment had announced that 1t would sign
the treaty only under protest and Ger
man political leaders had declared
their intention to work to undermine
the provisions of the treaty.
The peace table-a huge hollow rec
tangle with its open side facing the
windows in the hall-had tawny yell
low coverings blending with the rich
browns, blues and yellows Of the an
tiQue hangings Of the room and the
rugs covering the dais. The mellow
tints Of the historical paintings on the
arched roof Of the long hall completed
the picture.
The great horseshoe shaped table
held the representatives Of every
power which banded together to
stamp out militarism and absolutism
from the earth.
In the center Of the great horseshoe
sat Clemenceau, the French premier.
At his right sat President Wilson. On
his left was Lloyd George, the British
premier.
Across the room and just in front of
the section reserved for the guests the
German delegates were seated. The
contrast was very sharp. The old
Prussian arrogance was not revealed
by the members of the German cabi-
net who had assumed the duty Of salv-
aging what was left Of their country.
Z Seating of ENJOYS.
The seating arrangement Of the
delegates was as follows:
On President Wilson's side Of the
table:
Secretary Lansing, Colonel House,
Henry White, General Bliss, and after
them the French, Italian, Belgian and
Greek delegates.
Swinging around the horseshoe were
the Polish, Portuguese, Roumanian,
Czecho-Slovakian, Siamese, Cuban and
Chinese delegates. AT the left Of Pre-
mier Lloyd George were the other rep
resentatives Of Britain and her don1in-
ions and the Japanese. Swinging
around the corner were the represen-
tatives of Germany, Brazil, Bolivia,
Uruguay, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua,
Liberia, Honduras, Haiti, Guatemala
and Ecuador.
Marshal Foch was seated among the
French delegates. He was not peace
plenipotentiary and did not sign the
great document.
Only Three Italians.
OF the Italian delegation only three
were present-Baron Sonnino, M. I'm
eriali and Crest. The others had not
arrived at a late hour.
Paris was en- fete for the occasion.
A holiday was proclaimed throughout
the city. From every building hung
the flags of the allied nations. Thou
sands of persons in holiday attire
gathered along the roads leading to
Versailles.
The streets, as usual, were heavily
guarded by troops. Through packed
lanes of humanity the delegates
passed, one by one, their motors
fiounting the flags Of practically all
nations except those which made up
the central powers and the few neu-
trails not represented.
There was little worldwide JOY and
exuberance evidenced by the men who
sat around the peace table. In the
past it has been customary to ex-
change Fluctuations with the enemy
delegations. Nothing of the sort was
apparent at this great gathering.