The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-12-30
CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK TO
PUT TREATY INTO EFFECT

" In
Paris, Dec. 26.-Conferences vii
begin here early next week between
allied and German 7 delegates or
measures preparatory to putting the
peace treaty into effect, it was an
nounced today. The sessions will be
held under the presidency of Gen.
eral Lerond, a member of the French
delegation.
Herr Won Simson will head the Ger
man delegation. British and Italian
delegates will arrive here Monday to
have part in the deliberations.
The supreme council did not hold
session today but announced a
meeting for tomorrow. I
The final date of the exchange of
ratifications of the treaty of Yer
sailles now depends upon the speed.
with which the allied missions in
Germany can verify the German fig
ures of available, floating dock ton
mage demanded by the allies as COM
pensation for the sinking of the Ger.
man warships at Scapa Flow. The
I Associated Press has been informed
of this effect today at the headquar-
ters.
!, Baron Won Lersher, head Of the
German representatives said he
thought this would take at least a
! fortnight, if not longer. in view of
the difficulties of transportation in
verifying the figures.
"a decided misunderstanding is
REFLECTED in the Paris press during
the past two days regarding my pro-
jected trip to Berlin, which l subse-
quently abandoned," he said. "My
object was to hurry, rather than de-
lay, the putting of the Versailles
treaty into effect. From Monday
night until Wednesday afternoon at
2 o'clock was deprived of any com.
munication with any government by
either telegraph or telephone, in con.
sequence of which Berlin had ne
knowledge of the entente note or OIL
the verbal communication given or
this subject by NJ. Dutasta (secre
tary of the peace conference), unit
this morning.
Claims Ready for Peace
81 thought that a trip to Berlir
and a verbal explanation of the sit
uation to the government would ia
cilitate matters. The inference by
the French papers that the German
lgovernment wanted to delay the ex
change of notifications is absolutel.
unfounded. We want nothing NOR,
than effective restoration of peace
peace means the repatriation o.
our soldiers, prisoners in France
who were obliged to spend anothe
Christmas in captivity though hos
tilities have been suspended for NOR
than a year.
"The fact that Herr Won Simsol
arrived in Paris last Sunday to star
negotiations for putting the treat,
into effect proves that we had n
intention to delay matters"
Regarding the entente note, Baro
Won Lersner said it's tenor surprise
him, as it seemed so little in accor
with the progress of the negotia
5 tions.
"The Paris press" he said, "eve
announced our readiness to delive
over all the harbor material we coul
spare without cndangering our eco
monte existence, as compensation fo
the Scapa Flow sinliings, and for;
cast an early agreement on this ques
tion. If we did not get that lar,
-was not our fault. Our exports hav
not been asked to talk the matte
over since w2c!; ago
--- Denies Disloyalty Reports -
Baron Won Lersncr asserted ths
according to verbal co"amUn;:ntio
OF NJ. Dutasta at tha time of the d
livery Of the note, the entente mad
q a Illumination iii the port toMnag
demanded, conditional upon vertif