New-York tribune., 1919-06-29
Fire Months Spent
at Paris
Drafting Treaty

The peace treaty of Versailles is the
fruit of about five months of confer
ences in which delegations from thirty
two Allied countries and Germany par
ticiT ated. The five leading nations, the
United States, Great Britain, France
Italy and Japan, were represented in
the peace conferences at Paris by five
delegates each, while the delegations
OF other nations and British dominions
were composed of from one to three
men.
The representatives of the United
States were President Wilson, Secre-
tary of State Robert Lansing, Henry
White, formerly American Ambassador
at Rome and Paris; Colonel Edward NJ
House and General Tasker + Bliss.
Georges Clemenceau, Premier of
France, was chairman of the peace con-
ference.
AT first a Supreme Council, or coun-
Gil Of ten, was organized so as to in
Guide two representatives. each from
Great Britain, France, the United
States, Italy and Japan. Subsequently
this council was divided into two parts
"a council of four, composed of Pres
dent Wilson and Premiers Lloyd
George, Clemenceau and Orlando, and
a council of Foreign Ministers.
Convened Officially January 18
The conference of the Allied dele
cations convened officially on January
Is to draw up the terms to be sub
mitted when completed to the German
delegation. President Wilson had ar
rived in France on December 13 after
visiting England, Italy and parts of
France.
One of the first acts of the confer
ence was to send a proposal to all
nc o.
Princes Islands to endeavor to COM
pose the Russian internal situation,
but this plan was rejected by the Rus
slams. Various factions which were
disputing 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 "a, when the conference agreed
to the plan for organization of a
league of nations and committee was
appointed to draw up covenant. By
January 30 the conference had adopted
the plan of governing colonies and
backward nations through mandatorics
Issued to various nations, subject to
the direction and approval of the
league of nations.
The covenant of the league of ma
tions was completed on February IA.
On the following day President Wilson
returned TO France, Arriving there
March 13 IN his absence the council
of ten had continued it's work, despite
an attempt to assaSsinate Premier
Clemenceau.
report of the international Labor
Legislation Committee was adopted
April II. Reparation demands to be
made on Germany were approved April
a and the Germans were invited on
April 16 to send their delegation to
Versailles to receive the treaty
The peace conference next consid-
cred the treaty with Austria. The
Italian delegation insisted upon OBJ
control of the formerly Aus.
trian city of Fiumc, but on April %
President Wilson gave out a state
ment that Fiume could not be given
to Italy. On the next day Premier Or
lando returned to Rome and for more
than a week thereafter the Italian del
egates were absent, but returned on
May IN time to participate in the
conference with the German delegates
A revised covenant of the league Of
nations intended to conform in respect
to the Monroe Doctrine to objection
raised IN America was adopted by the
peace connferece on April 2S. Geneva
was selected as the seat OF the league.
Shantung Disposed OF.
Shantung was disposed of on April
80 when the council of three voted to
turn 1t over to the Japanese on assur-
ances that it would be given later to
the Chinese.
hn
headed by Count Brockdorff- -Rantzau
arrived in Versailles and presented
their credentials to the Allied dele
gates on May L.
Ihc peace treaty was presented to
the Germans at Versailles on May 7.
the anniversary of the sinking of the
Lusitania, and ar official summary of
the treaty was made public that day.
1t was also announced that the United
States and Great Britain had pledged
AID to France against possible future
German aggression. The manner in
which the Germans received the treaty
was described as insolent Numerous
German leaders declared they would
not sign it, and week of mourning
was decreed by the German government,
but the decree went virtually unheeded
Thereafter the German delegates
SUI mitted various notes to the council
OF four asking for concessions or crit
icising the terms proposed in the treaty
as submitted to them. On May 16 it
was announced that the German treaty
would become effective when ratified
by Germany and three of the Allied or
Associated Powers.
The German reply to the first form
OF the peace treaty was presented to
the Allied legeates on May %, and
this was followed by several German
counter-proposals.
Meanwhile the Austrian delegates
had arrived at st. Germain, and on June
2 the terms of the peace treaty with
Austria as drawn by the Allies were
submitted to them.