Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-01

PARIS, June 2S.-The peace treaty
of Versailles is the fruit 'of about
five months of conferences in which
delegations from thirty-two allied
countries and Germany participated.
The five leading nations. the United
States, Great Britain, France, Italy
and Japan, were represented in the
peace conferences at Paris by hve
delegates each while the delegations
of other nations and British domtn-
ions were composed of from one to
three men.
The representatives of the United
States were President Wilson, Secre-
tary of State Robert Lansing, Henry
White, formerly American ambassa-
dor at Rome and Paris; Colonel Ed
ward NJ. House and General Tasker
Georges Clemenceau, premier Of
France, was chairman of the peace
conference.
At first a supreme council, or a
council of ten, was organized so as
to include two representatives each
from Great Britain, France. the Unit
ed States, Italy and Japan. Suisse
duently this council was divided in
two parts-a council of four, COM
posed of President wilson and Pre-
miers Lloyd George, Clemenceau and
Orlando, and a council of foreign
ministers.
The conference of the allied dele
cations convened officially on Janu-
airy 18 to draw up the terms to be
submitted when completed to the
German delegation. President Will
son had arrived in France on Decem-
Der l3 and had visited England, Italy
and parts of France.
One of the first acts Of the confer
ence was to send a proposal to all
1IQIcciaI1 fantinnS fn meet the
Princes Islands to endeavor to COM
pose the Russian internal situation,
but this plan was rejected by the
Russians. Various factions which
were disputing over territory in diff
ferent sections of Europe were di-
rected by the peace conference to
discontinue their conflicts.
First Step January "a
The first step toward the actual
drafting of the treaty occurred on
January "a, when the conference
agreed to the plan for organization
of a League Of Nations and COM
mittee was appointed to draw up
covenant. By January 80 the con-
ference had adopted the plan of gov
erning colonies and backward nations
through manda tories issued to vari-
Gus nations, subject to the direction
and approval of the League of Ma
tions.
The covenant of the League of Ma
lions was completed on February IA.
On the following day President Will
son left France for the United States.
He returned to France, arriving there
March 13. In his absence the coun-
Gil of ten had continued it's work
despite an attempt to assassinate
Premier Clemenceau.
A report Of the international labor
legislation committee was adopted
April II. Reparation demands to be
made on Germany were approved
April IA and the Germans were invlt-
ed on April 16 to send their delega-
ton to Versailles to receive the
treaty.
The peace conference next constd-
cred the treaty with Austria. The
Italian delegation insisted upon OBJ
tanning control of the formerly Aus
President Wilson gave out a state
ment that Fiume could not be given
to Italy. On the next day Premier
Orlando returned to Rome and for
more than a week thereafter the
italian delegates were absent but
returned on NAV Z in time to partici-
pate in the conference with the Ger
man delegates.
Covenant Revised
A revised covenant of the League
of Nations intended to conform in re-
spect to the Monroe Doctrine to OBJ
lection raised in America was adopt
ed by the peace conference on April
%. Geneva was selected as the seat
of the league.
Shantung was disposed of on April
80 when the council of three voted
to turn it over to the Japanese on
assurances that it would be given
later to the Chinese.
The Germans, headed by Count
| Brockdorff- Rantzau, arrived in YER
sailles and presented their credentials
to the allied delegates on May l.
The peace treaty was presented to
the Germans at Versailles on May I,
the anniversary of the sinking of the
of the treaty was made public that
day. 1t was also announced that the
United States and Great Britain had
pledged aid to France against posi-
bic future German aggression. The
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