Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-30
SIGNS TREATY
Continued from paao one)

Sl\1SV0 1NGSAS
Continued from Pass ons)
preliminaries TO- the ceremony vas the
entry into the hall at ! O'Clock OF .
squad of dismountea Hussass OF the
Republican Guard. giants IN stature.
who stationed themsesvo0 at eithse enc
Of the space occupied BY the paenipo-
tentiaries. forming . vail between the
delegates and the spectators. WINE
they contributed much to the pictur.
sequences Of the setting. their presence
rendered It almost impossible for those
behind them to SEE much Of the pro.
ceedings.
BY the time the session was to open.
however. the guards were given An
order to about-face. which they did.
and file out Of the hall. much to the
relief Of those whose view had been
cut OF.
The difficulty Of seeing we'll from
many parts of the hail initiated aga INST
demonstrations marking the arrival Il
the chief personages. Only = few per-
sons saw President Wilson when he
came in, and there was but Q faint
sound Of applause for him.
An hour before the signing Of the
| treaty those assembled in the hall had
been urged to take their seats, but theiH
eagerness to see the historic ceremony
| was so keen that they refused to keep
| their seats and crowded toward the Gen.
| ter Of the hall, which IL 80 long that .
good view was impossible from the dis
tances. Even with opera glasses the
hi
to observe satisfactorily. The seats
| were in no way elevated; consequently
there was general scramble for stand
| ing room.
Secretary Lansing was the drst Of the
| distinguished diplomats to arrive. He
| was followed by n. Clemenceau and
General Bliss. Few Of the spectators
recognized any Of the diplomats as they
came in and there were no demonstra-
| tons.
The delegates Of the minor powers
made their way with difficulty through
the crowd to their places at the table.
! Omcers and civilians lined the walls
and filed the aisles: President Wilson's
arrival 10 minutes before the hour for
signing was greeted by a faint burst
OF applause from the few persons who
were able to see him.
| The German correspondents were ush.
cred into the hall shortly before three
O'Clock and were given standing room
! Iii a window at the rear Of the CORE.
spondents' section.
When Premier Lloyd George arrived
| many Of the delegates sought auto.
graphs from the members Of the Coun-
eel Of Four. and they busted themselves
signing copies Of the oflicial program
until the Germans entered the room.
! AT three o'clock a hush fell over
i the hall ard the crowds shouted for
the officials who were attended to
SIT down so as not to block the view.
The delegates shovel some Surprise
at the disorders, which did not cease
until all the spectators had either
seated themselves or found places
| against tie walls
At seven minutes past three Dr.
Hermann Mueller, the German Sec
rotary for foreign affairs, and Dr..
Bell the colonial secretary. were
shown into the hall. and quietly
took their seats at the left end or
the C-shaped table. They showed
composure and manifested none f.
the Hneasiness which Count Won
. Brockdorff-R antzau. head Of the
German peace delegation dispIayed
when handed the treaty at Versailles.
M. Clemenceau. as president OF the
conference. made a brief speech, in.
vltlng the Germans to sign tho
treaty. and there was a tense pause.
| william Martin, master Of ceremon-
les, after q moments delay, escorted
the German plenipotentiaries to the
signatory table. where they signed
the treaty, the protocol and the
Polish undertaking. Because of the
confusion and the crowd. tn. signing
lost much Of its expected dignity.
After the Germans had signed
President wilson. followed by the
! other American delegates, made his
way to the table and he and the 9TH
ers speedily affixed their signatures,
Premier Lloyd George came next
with the English delegation. The
British domains followed-Canada.
Australia. New Zealand. South Al.
| RIGA and India, in tho order named.
A murmur of surprise passed
around the hall when it became
known that General SHUTS. repre-
senting South Africa, signed under
protest and filed a document de.
claring that the peace was unsatts.
factory.
NJ. Clemenceau with the French
delegates were che next in the line
for the signing. and then Baron Sa.
ionji and other Japanese delegates.
The Italians came after the Japan
csc. and they. in turn, were followed
by the representatives Of the small.
er powers.
During the attaching Of tho sigma
lures Of the great powers and the
Germans. a battery OF moving bic.
ture machines and cameras clicked
away so audibly that they could be
heard above the general disorder.
At 3.45 the booming Of cannon in
celebration Of the peace broke the
monotony in the hall Of mirrors.
where the crown had tired Of the al-
most endless signing.
China's failure to send her dele.
gates to the ceremony created much
comment. The vacant seats of the
Chinese were noted early in the pro.
ceedings. but it was expected that
the delegates would arrive late. Then
the report was circulated officially
that the Chinese would not sign
without reservation on Shantung.
ana yyo1,l6 isaua a ~ta<av.oox al.- -