Norwich bulletin., 1919-06-24
RESUME OF PROCEEDINGS
 OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE


 The peace treaty of Versailles is the | fruit of about five months of confer ences in which delegations from thir- ] ty-two allied countries and Germany participated The five leading nations. l inc United States Great Britain, | France. Italy and Japan were repre- 1 sentcd in the peace conferences at Paris by five delegates each while the delegations Of other nations and Brit ish dominions were composed of from one 10 three men The representatives of the United States were President Wilson, Secre- taTy Of State Robert Lansing, Henry White formerly American ambassador al Rome and Paris; Colonel Edward N. House and General Tasker H. Bliss.
 Georges Clemenceau, premier of lrantc. was chairman of the peace conference.
 Al first a supreme council or a coun- cli oi ien was organized so as to in ciudc two representatives each from Great Britain. France, the United States, Italy and Japan. Subsequent ly this council was divided in two psrts-a council of four. composed of President Wilson and Premiers Lloyd George. Clemencesu and Orlando and council Of foreign ministers.
 q AAt NbllANA NliNN OA tiit dllltu utltBd- unns convened officially on January IS Co draw up the terms to be submitted when completed to the German dele Eauon. President Wilson had arrived iu France on Dec. F and had visited England. Italy and parts of France. One of the first acts of the confer ence was to send a proposal to all the Russian factions to meet on the Princes Islands to endeavor to com inc Russian internal Sitl1a tinI1 but this plan was rejected by the Rus sians. Various factions which were disputinE over territory in different sections of Europe were directed by the peace conference to discontinue their conflicts.
 The first step toward the actual drafting Of the treaty occurred on January 2i when the conference agreed to the plan for organization of a League of Nations and a committee was appointed to draw up a cove nanL By January 30 the conference had adopted the plan of governing colonies and backward nations through mandatories issued to various nations. subject to the direction and approval of the League of Nations.
 The covenant of the League of Ma tons Was completed on February IA On the following day President Wilson left France for the United States. He returned to France. arriving there March Is. In the absence the counci of ten had continued it's work despite an attempt to assassinate Premier Clemenceau.
 X report of the international labol legislation committee was adopted April H. Preparation demands to b' made on Germany were approved April I4 and the Germans were in Nited ih April l6 to send their delega ton 10 Versailles to receive the Urea ty.
 The peace conference next consid cred the treaty with Austria. Tn Italian delegation insisted upon ob tainlng control of the formerly Aus trian city of Plume, but on April ? President Wilson gave out a state ment that Plume could not be give to Italy. On the next day Premie Orlando returned to Rome and fo more than q week thereafter the 1tal ian delegates were absent but return ed OH May in time to participate i the conference with the German dele gates.
 A revised covenant of the League c Nations intended to conform in le spect to the Monroe Doctrine to ob lection raised in America was adopt ed by the peace conference on Apr 2S Geneva was selected as the sea Of the league.
 Shantung was disposed of on Apr sn when the council of three voted t turn il over to the Japanese on ae surances that it would be given late to the Chinese.
 The Germans, headed by Cour Brockdorff- -Rantzau. arrived in Yer sailes and presented the credentiel to the allied delegates on May 1
 The peace treaty was presented | the Germans at Versailles on May the anniversary of the sinking of tn Lusitan'a and an official summary ( the treaty was made public that da, T. was also announced that the Unite States nd Great Britain had pledge aid to France against possible futIr German aggression. The manner which the Germans received the trea ty was described as insolent. Numcl ous German leaders declared the would not sign it and week mourning was decreed by the Germa government but the decree was vii tually unheeded.
 Thereafter the German delegate submitted various notes to the cour cil of four asking for concessions criticising the terms proposed in tf treaty as submitted to them. On Ma