The Glasgow courier., 1919-07-04
Premier Clemenceau Presides Over
Historic Session in Hall of Mir
rOrs at Versailles Palace.

Versailles, June 2S.-The world war
was formerly ended today by the sign
ing of the peace treaty with Germany.
The epochal meeting in the Hall of
Mirrors began at 10 p. m. when Ger
man delegates, the first to sign, af-
fixed their signatures at 3:13.
They were followed by the Ameri-
can delegates headed by President
Wilson, and then by the plenipoten-
tiaries of Great Britain, France, Italy
and Japan. The representatives of
the minor powers signed in alphabet
ical order.
China's delegates did not attend the
session, declining to sign the treaty
because they were not permitted to
make reservations.
Smuts Signs Under Protest.
General Jan Christian SHUTS, one
of the delegates representing the Un-
ion of South Africa, signed the treaty
under protest. He objected to certain
territorial settlements, making a
lengthy statement.
General SHUTS said that the indem-
mites stipulated could not be accepted
without grave injuries to the industrial
revival of Europe. He declared it
would be to the interests of the allied
powers to render the stipulations more
tolerable and moderate.
At 3:44 p. m. cannon began to boom,
announcing the completion of the cere-
mony of signing. The signatures had
not, however, as matter of fact, then
been completed, for at that time the
smaller nations We're still signing in
alphabetical order.
The proceedings were formally clos
ed at $40 p. m.
All L. S. Delegates Sign Names.
Following is the Official report of the
proceedings transmitted from the Hall
of Mirrors:
President Wilson and the American
delegation completed signing the peace
treaty at 3:14 p. m. Paris time. 1t
also was signed by DR.. Herman Meul-
Ter at 3:12 and DR.. Johannes Bell at
3:13 p. m. The Americans signed in
this order: Secretary Lansing, Henry
White, Colonel E. NJ. House and Cen
eral Tasker H. Bliss.
Premier Clemenceau in opening the
session said:
"The session is open. The allied and
associated powers on one side and the
German reich on the other side, have
come to an agreement on the condi-
tions of peace. The treaty has been
completed, drafted and the present
text about to be signed now is iden-
tical with 200 copies that have been
delivered to the German reich. The
signatures will be given now and they
mount to solemn undertaking faith
fully and Loyalty to execute the con-
ditions embodied by this treaty of
peace. | now invite the delegates of
the German reich to sign the treaty"
Germans Leave Halls First.
The protocol was signed by all those
who signed the treaty. The Rhine
arrangement was signed by the Ger
mans, Americans, Belgians, British
and French plenipotentiaries.
!. The German delegates left the hall
first, the allied representatives re-
naming in their seats. Those who
had assembled nthe hall then went
to the terrace to see the fountains
playing.
AS Premier Clemenceau, President
Wilson and Premier Lloyd George
emerged from the palace the great
crowd gathered outside, swept aside
the Gordon of troops, cheering madly
The three statesmen We're swept along
by the surging thousands. Many SOL
diers broke ranks and joined in the
demonstration while guns doomed anC