New-York tribune., 1919-05-01
''words Fail Me-" Says Sec
retary Of Won Rentzau
After Passing Through
Ravaged Fields of France
Prefect Receives ENJOYS
First Session of Congress
To Be Occupied by Exam
ination of Credentials

VERSAILLES, April 3n.--When the
German delegation to the peace con-
gress, headed by Count Won Brock
dorf- Rantzau, reached Versailles It
was received in the name fthe French
government by NJ Chaliere, Prefect OF
the Department Of Seine-ct-Oise, to
whom the count expressed thanks on
behalf Of the delegation. The counts
secretary, Herr Rudiger, subsequently
remarked to the newspaper men pres
ent:
"Words fail me to describe nv feel
ings as I crossed your devastated re-
gions. ] hope the peace which we are
about to sign Will give satisfaction to
all the nations which participated n
the war"
The German plcnopotentiaries were
greeted by cold, raw weather, with oc-
casional squalls, on the first day of
their sojourn here. Wearied from
their journey, the chief figures of the
delegation slept late, not appearing
during the forenoon. The lesser func-
tionaries, however, heavily clothed
against the storm, stroIled through the
sodden grounds of the park or along
the streets.
No Censorship on Germans
The fifteen German newspaper men
who accompanied the German repre-
sentattves are Paul Block, Friedrich
Stempfer, August Abel, Rolf Brandt
Prosper Mollendorf and Drs. RedIich
Muehlins, Kaufman, Guttmann, Gold
mann, Hirth, Loughringer, Baumann
Wertheimer and Fleck.
No censorship Will be imposed unon
the newspaper mems dispatches to
Germany, but they viii not be allowed
to communicate with the Allied diplo-
mats er newspaper men. Their status
IS the same as that of the German
delegates, and they will be accorded the
same tree fment
Director Heineken, Of the North
German Lloyd Line, was among the
passengers in the second train of Ger
man representatives Herr Heineken
missed the special automobiles re-
served for the higher dignitaries and
was compelled to travel the five miles
to Versailles in an auto bus with the
minor representatives.
In addition to NJ Chaliere, the Ger
man delegation was greeted officially
at Vaucresson by Colonel Henry. for
the Ministry of War, and M. Oudaille
for the Interior Department. Baron
advance party of Germans, also drove
from Versailles to meet his chiefs.
lie was accompanied by an American
oihcer. Major Kaiser, and by French
and English officers attached to the
Supreme War Council.
Guests Watchful of Baggage
Many of the German representatives
carried their personal baggage, from
which apparently they were anxious
not to be separated
The first train of the two bringing
the Germans carried forty-six persons.
me {. train with the others arrived a
half hour later. There was no speech.
making upon the arrival of the second
party.
BY 1880 O'Clock the last of the Ger
mans had been seen safely to their
respective hotels. The proceeding wa
entlrel y without incident and was wit
messed by comparatively few persons
aside from the newspaper men at Vau-
cresson and Versailles.
When the first train pulled into
Vaucrasson half hour late M. Chalierc
and Baron Won Lersner, followed by
newspaper men, approached the car oc-
cupied by Foreign Minister Won
Brockdorff- -Rantzau. Baron Won Lersne-
entered the car and reported to the
Foreign Minister, who then stepped
out. The head Of the German delega-
tion was received with a brief and
formal speech Of greeting, the text of
which had been carefully studied by
the Foreign Ministry in order to give
it the exact tone suitable for the oc-
casion.
Welcoming Speech Formal
M. Chaliere said:
"As Prefect of the Seine ct Disc and
in the name Of the government. J. have
the mission to receive the delegation of
German plenipotentaries on its arrival
in Versailles. | have the honor to
salute you I present Colonel Henry,
chief Of the French Military Mission,
who will be the liaison officer between