Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-29

~ ~ S~OJs
3 But, bulking larger, was the atti-
tude of Germany and German plen-
ipotentiaries, which left them, as
evident from the official program
of the day, and from the expression
of M, Clemenceau, still outside any
formal reconciliation and made
actual restoration to regular rela-
tons and intercourse with the allied
nations depedent, not upon the
signature of the "preliminaries of
peace" but upon ratification by the
national assembly.
Never Would Have Signed.
To M. Clemenceau's stern warm
ing in his opening remarks that they
would be expected and held to OBJ
serve the treaty provisions legally
and copletely. the German delegates,
through DR.. Haniel Won Hamhausen,
replied, after returning to the hotel,
that had they known they would be
treated on a different status after
signing than the allied representa-
tives, as shown by their separate
exit before the general body of the
conference, they never would have
signed.
Under the circumstances the gen
eral tone of the sentiment in th>
historic sitting was one rather of
relief at the uncontrovertible end {
hostlllties, than of complete and Gn-
allowed satisfaction.
l. The ceremony came to a dramatic
close-in fact, reached its slightest
dramatic pitct-with the wildly en-
thusiastic reception of President
Wilson, M. Clemenceau and Mr..
Lloyd George. by the crowds out
side the palace, who ignored or dis
regarded the minor discords of the
day. They tore the three statesman
from their escorts and almost car
ried them bodily in their progress
through the chateau grounds, to
watch the playing of the fountains
a part of the programme which had
been planned as a dignified state
professional of all the plenipoten-
tiares.
TldHIlcu DcuOeIdtely.
The ceremony otherwise had been
planned deliberately to be austere,
behttlng the sorrows and sufferings
of almost five years and the lack OF
lmpresslveness and picturesque col
or of which many spectators, who
had expected magnificent state
pageant, complained, was matter
of design, not merely omission.
The actual ceremony was far
shorter than had been expected, in
view Of the number of signatures
which were to be appended to the
treaty and the two accompanying
conventions, ending bare 4o min
utes after the hour set for the open
ing. The proceedings were carried
out without surface incidents, since
the Germans were silent, and the
Chinese re fusal to sign was evident
only by the vacant chairs. The
sole words to be recorded in the
protocol of the conference were M.
| Clemenceau's short opening allocu-
ton, with its brief, stern warning to
the Germans, and his equally terse
phrases declaring the ceremony
closed.
Goose Quills Used.
| The intervening three-quarters Of
an hour was marked by the scratch
ing of big goose quilts or modern
steel pens, which most of the dele
gates preferred, and the steady pro-
cesson of delegation after deleea-
ton to the seats at the three tables
within the enclosures upon which
the documents were placed for sig
nature.
| Contrary to expectations the Ger
mans were called to sign first, and
no precedence was given NJ. Clemen-
ceau. President Wilson or Mr.. Lloyd
George, who in the peace treaty ap-
pear only as members of the respec-
tive delegations and discard the dig
mites and responsibilities which dur
ing the negotians were summed up
in the phrase THE big three"
| The two German delegates arose
without a word at NJ. Clemenceau's
bidding and placed upon the treaty
the sign manuals which German gov
ernment leaders declared until re-
Gently never would be appended to
it. 1t was too distant to watch,
even with glasses, the expression
on the faces of the German pleni-
potentiaries during the ceremony.