The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-14
TWO DAYS TO
ANSWER new
PACT GIVEN
TO GERMANY
Hostilities May be Resumed
June Il if Foe Refuses to
Accept Conditions of Re-
vised Treaty.
SMALL STATES PROTEST
(By Associated Press)

five continued the work Of editing the
revised peace treaty this morning, at
the same time enabling Baron Max
ino, the Japanese representative, to
acquaint himself with the document
The work is nearly completed and it
is believed the treaty will go to the
revision committee late tonight. 1t
is said that 1t will be printed and ready
for delivery to the Germans Monday
or Tuesday.
1t is the present plan Of the council
to renew consideration of the Aus
trian terms Monday. Representatives
Of Turkey will be received Tuesday.
If no other developments arise,
President Wilson probably will make
his trip to Brussels between Wednes-
day and the expiration of the German
time limit -...-
Modify Labor Clause.
Some notifications were made by
the council yesterday in the labor COW
enant in the peace treaty.
The existing labor situation in var
ious countries, coupled with clever
German tactics, had resulted in this
part Of the treaty becoming one of
the principal points Of attack in the
counterproposals. The situation caus
ed a lengthy discussion which result
ed in certain notifications in the con-
vention. r
The allied reply to the German pro-
posals, 1t developed today, will lay
particular stress upon the character of
the permanent reparauons commits
sion. It will be explained to the Ger
mans that this commission is not a
tyrannical body, but that 1t will ad-
minister its duties in a spirit of fair
ness and helpfulness, so as to facili-
tate Germany's economic reconstruc-
ton.
Anticipate Acceptance.
1t Is learned that the short time linn
1t given Germany for a reply Is largely
due to the Germans themselves. They
are understood to have said they
would not require more than five days
to reach a decision. Friday nights
dispatches said only two days would
be given for the answer, with three
days of grace before the armistice
was suspended in the event of Ger
man refusal to sign.
While reports from Germany on the
prospects of Germany's signing the
treaty are lacking in clarity, 1t is
known that the council Is acting on
the belief that there is no general
feeling on the part Of the masses
against German acceptance of the
terms. An air Of optimism pervades
the council in this respect.
The indisposition of the council of
| four to submit the revised German
treaty to plenary session of the con-
ference before sending it to the Ger.
mans, is, however, causing another
| protest from the small powers, which
resent steam roller" methods. This
may force the calling of another pie
nary session which would cause fur.
ther delay. The small powers are dis
satisfied with assurances that the
changes made in the treaty are slight
I and many Of the delegates are insist
! ing on an opportunity to consider the
treaty fully before it is presented tt
the enemy peace mission.
Independent Conventions
| The proposal that the five great
powers undertake to guarantee the
territorial limits of liberated states il
eastern Europe as established by the
peace treaty in return for the accept
ance by the latter of stipulations pro
tecting the right of racial language
and religious minorities has, it is un
derstood, been submitted to the in
terested states by the council of four
The guarantee would be independent
of general provisos for the mainten
ance of the territorial status quo il
article ten Of the covenant Of the
league of nations, and provide the
definite security which some Euro
pean skeptics do not expect from the
workings Of the league.
The proposal contemplates the ne
gotiation of a series of independen
conventions containing guarantee,
with each of the smaller states rank
ing with treaties covering the protec
ton of minorities. In the case of Pc
land, this matter is provided for il
article SO of the German treaty, anc
similar articles are contemplated TO
insertion in the Austrian and Hungar
ian treaties on behalf of eastern Eur
opean states.
Inc POnSn prOV1SO Silpped through
: without objection when the outline O
the German treaty was read and ap
proved, and was unchanged at the Sc
cret plenary session of the peace con
ference on the eve of the presenta
tion of the treaty. Representative
of interested states, however, wer
prepared when the Austrian treat,
came before the plenary session AM
objected strenuously to correspondent;
clauses being included in that cor
vention. This objection has been on
of the principal causes for the posi-
ponement of the presentation of tn
} entire treaty to the Austrians, tn
clauses in question being eliminate
from the first installment of the pact
Small states are as yet unwilling t
accept the clauses, even when couple
] with guarantees of territorial integr
Ity.