The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1919-07-03

/ pea ahea Bell, black mussaehea saa
hespeetacIed, an excited politician
type
At $3.50 they left Versailles with
the utmost secrecy.
Mueller and Bell made the follow
ing statement to the United Press:
We ere signing without mental
reservation. What we are signing win
Sc carried out. The German people
win use every means to meet the
terms,
We believe the entente will, in its
own interests, find il necessary to
change some of the terms, or they
will see the treaty IS impossible Of
execution
Eve believe the entente win not in
sist on delivery Of the kaiser and
other high officers.
1.-THE central government viii not
assist 10 any attack on Poland
Germany win make every effort to
prove herself worthy to enter the
league Of nations
Immediately before the session
members Of the big four were swamp
ed with requests for their auto
graphs. Wilson and others smilingly
wrote virogously for several minutes
on every scrap Of paper handed them.
Absolute quiet came at o'clock, fol-
lowing misses for silence from all
parts of the hall.
During the wait for the Germans
Clemenceau showed Wilson exactly
the route to be taken to the signing
table, pointing out the way through
the chairs.
The entrance of the Germans was
iii silence except for the rustlin@
caused by everyone straining to see
them. Tie Germans moved slowly
toward their seats, bowed slightly,
then sat down. Clemenceau immedi-
ately started speaking. There were
EXPLANATIONS Of surprise as he invit-
ed the Gremans to sign first, as it
had been expected that Clemenceau
would be the first to sign. Mueller
affixed his signature, Bell standing
behind the chair.
After the Germans resumed their
seats Wilson arose, followed by Sec
rotary Lansing, Gen. Bliss, Henry
hite and Col. House. He walked COM
pleteIy about the enclosure. With an
expression Of deepest solemnity the
president inscribed his name to the
document.
Lloyd George headed the British
in their march about the
big table. Delegates of the British
dominions followed, the Indians in
head-dress, lending picturesque
touch.
Premier Clemenceau was one of the
early arrivals in the Hall of Mirrors,
Gen. Bliss arriving at the same time.
They were hardly noticed above the
hum of conversation.
Guards, wearing shining brass hell
NETS, white kid breehces and blue
coats with red lining, thanked either
end of the enclosure provided for the
signing Of the treaty. With the pres
ence Of the guards, spectators could
see little more than their red plumes
with the horses tails dangling from
the helmets.
The delegates drifted In casually
In the meantime there was the great
est confusion among the visitors and
in the press sections, where there
was wild scramble for seats. Scores
of secretaries flooded III to occupy
chairs in the middle of the enclosure.
Paul Dutasta, secretary Of the
peace conference, brought in the
treaty enclosed Id leather box at
PIP o'clock, retiring after he had
placed the document on shining
table.
The German newspaper men arriv-
ed at 2:S0, and were given seats far
i'll the rear, near the windows. The
younger correspondents wore the
black and white ribbon Of the iron
cross.
All Of the Americans except Pres
ident Wilson were In their seats at
2:40. With some Of the delegates
walking about and chatting with each
other, and myriad Of secretaries
present, the signing enclosure looked
like human ant hill. ATT 2:45 the
republican guards were marched out
amid the scattered cheers of those
for whom they cleared the view, but
the startled looks Of the peace dele
gates quickly silenced the cheering
Smiles and good nature were evi-
dent on the faces of the allied repre-
sentatives. "A few minutes before the