New-York tribune., 1919-05-02
Brockdorff -Rantzau Near
ly Faints i'm Ceremony
i'm Hotel i'm Versailles:
Finds 1t an Orde a |
Chairman Cambon
Receives Envovs
Treaty Preliminaries Are
Expected To Be Handed
Tc Teutons on Monday

PARIS, May by The Asso-
cioted Press).-lnformation coming
from French sources Tonight is that
n secret plenary session of the peace
conference probably aoW be held on
Saturday and the meeting acith the
Germans for the handing ouer Of the
peace treaty on Monday afternoon.
VERSAILLES, May (By The AS
sociated Press In a session begin
ming at $40 o'clock this afternoon and
lasting barely five minutes the Ger
man plenipotentiares to the peace con-
gress presented their credentials.
1t was the first step in the peace
negotiations The German credentials
we're presented to representatives of
the Allies and the United States
Pale and almost fainting from emo
ton, Count Won Brockdorf Rantzau.
the German, Foreign Secretary and
head Of The delegation, passed through
what evidently was one of the bitter
est moments Of his ife. He was barely
able to sustain himself through the
brief ceremony and reach the waiting
automobile. which had brought him to
the gathering.
Meet in Hotel Trianon
The meeting took place in the room
Of .he Trianon Hotel, previously used
for the sessions of the supreme mill
tary council. Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantzau. on entering. was accompanied
by Herr Landsberg. Professor Schueck-
ing and two secretaries, and waiting
for him the Allied representatives
were grouped around Jules Cambon
the former French Ambassador at Ber-
lin, who is chairman OF the com
mission.
Other members of the Allied party
included Henry White, of the United
States; Lord Harding, Great Britain,
and Ambassador Matsui, Japan.
). NJ. Cambon Immediately addressed
Count Won Brockdorff- Rantzau, stating
that he was chairman Of the commits
sion intrusted By the Allied powers
TO receive and examine the credentials
OF the German delegates as the first
step in a conference which, it was
hoped. would lead TO peace.
Here are ours" continued NJ. Cam
bon. extending as ne spoke the formal
credentials of the Allied commission
as plenip potentiaries to the congress.
Count Won Brockdorf- Rantzau sur
rendered the German credentials, with
even less Of formal address, his
emotion being too great TO enable him
TO deliver an extended discourse.
Germans Not Forced to Walk
After these brief ceremonies the
Germans turned and left the hall,
walking a few steps TO the cars in
waiting. They were followed i'm
mediately by the Allied representa-
tives. The whole ceremony was over
by 1920 o'clock The Allied delegates
then rode to the chateau 70 inspect the
Hall Of Mirrors, where the treaty viii
be signed, and eventually returned to
the hotel for tea.
The setting for the preliminary
meeting was dull and unimpressive
The skies we're overcast and there were
occasional bursts of rain. This caused
abandonment of the original plan,
which contemplated having the Ger
man delegates walk from the Hotel des
RESERVOIRS across the park to the 1otel
Jrianon. This would have followed
Inc involuntary precedent set by Louis
fniers. the French delegate, in dis
Gpssing peace with Bismarck in 1870.
ne, like the Germans, resided at the
hotel des Reservoirs, and made his
py bismarck, then the worlds dip
iomatic centre.
Automobiles instead were provided.
~. |amoon was the first Of the mission
% arrive IN his car, ACCOMPANIED by
IMAM Aartin. chief Of protocol Of
ING foreign Office. Lord Harding ac-
companied by Secretary Henry Not
man. AmDassador Matsui, with his sec
retary, and Henry White. with Secrc-
fary Christian uerfor fn1Io,,a5
aoicE succession and Immediately on
sered the conference room 10 await The
arrival Of the Germans.
French Official Statement
The French official statement nm tho
says: '''o"y
The president Of the committee
9h verihcatjon of credentials of the
s.ntnr-Ailied Conference, Jules Cam
wp, v1h, ana the other members, Henry
~ .n'te, Lord Harding and Baron
Ss,a.sai, received at .3:15 O'Clock to.
~ ~ at iriannn Palace Count Won
fapsmoorn fay Rantzaa, president Of the
snss's .nnsh delegation. The latter pre-
.e.aNso tns president OF the German
nsnds.berss Minister Of a Jnstyce nn,t and
9'so s' Herf Simonds, Director Of I,,n.
o. ~ W tte Foreign Office. and ucrr
asahas' counsellor cf the FOREIGN or
~fh German credentials var
@ essI 70 y Carnbon, who handed
sas,is. = ~ sSspanRe the credentials ea-
stafsd tFsa @ py the Allied and asso4
vafes ,ps~srE. Ihe German dele
sv'um'n1ttess viii nov exan,na ps'.'saf ~
F'sns's's submitted 10 them WIG
~