Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-07-03
IS SIGNED At VERSAILLES
AFTER NEARLY FIVE YEARS OF WAR

IT had been planned that all the allied
delegates would walk across the terrace
after signing, to see the great fountains
play. but none of the other plenpoten-
tiaries got further than the door.
President Wilson, NJ. Clemcnceau and
Mr.. Lloyd George were caught in the
living stream which owed across the
great space, and became part of the
crowd themselves Soldiers and body
guards struggled vainly to clear the way
The people jostled and struggled for a
chance to touch the hands of the lead
crs of the allies. all the while cheering
madlY.
Probably the last concerned for their
personal safety were the three them
selves They went forward smilngly.
as the crowd willed, bowling in response
to the ovation, and here and there reach
ing out to shake an insistent hand as
they passed on their way through the
chateau grounds to watch the playing
Of the fountains-a part of the program
which had been planned as a dignified
state professional of all the plenipoten-
tiaiics.
After the demonstration the three allied
leaders left Versailles in the same auto
mobile. the crowds following and cheer
ing. while guns doomed and low-fying
airplanes seemed to fill the air.
All the diplomats and members of their
parties who attended the ceremony OF
treaty signing wore conventional civilian
clothes outside of this also there was a
marked lack of gold lace and pageantry
with few of the fancfu uniforms of the
middle AGES, whose traditions and prac-
tees are so sternly condemned in the
great, seal-covered document signed to.
day.
one spot of color was made against
the sombre background by the French
Guards. A few selected members of the
Guard were there, resplendent in red
pumcd silver helmets and red, white anC
blue uniforms.
AS contrast with the FrancoGer
! man peace session of 1871, held in tht
same hall, there were present to-day
grizzled French veterans of the Franco
/ Prussian war. They took the place o.
the Prussian guardsmen Of the previou.
ceremony, and the Frenchmen to-da,
watched the ceremony with grim salts
faction.
The conditions of 1874 were exactly re
vorsed. To-day the disciples of Bismarl
sat in the seats of the lowly, while til,
dcss of War, looked on. Overhead, OF
the frescocd ceiling, were scenes from
Frances ancient wars.
/ Three incidents were emphasized by tn
, snoothness with which the ceremon.
was conducted. The first of these we
the failure of the Chinese delegation t
sign. The second was the protest sub
mitted by General Jan Christian SHUTS
who declared the peace unsatisfactory.
The third. which was unknown to tn
general public, came from the German:
When the program for the .S>remony wa
shown to the German delegation, Her
Won iIaimhausen of the German delega
ton went to Colonel Henri, French liza
son officer and protested. He said:
we canno. admit that the Germa
delegates should enter the hall by a dill
fcrent door than the Entente delegate:
nor that military honors should be will
held Had we known there would /
such arrangements before, the delegate
would not have come
After conference with the Frenc
Foreign Ministry it was decided, as
compromise, to render military honor
as the Germans left.