The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-24

The peace treaty OF NerSdilles Is
the fruit of about five months of con-
ferences in which delegates from
thirty-two allied countries and Ger
many participated. The five leading
nations, the United States, Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Japan were
represented in the peace conferences
at Paris by five delegates each while
the delegations of other nations and
British dominioDs were composed of
from one TO three men.
The representatives of the United
States were President Wilson, YSecre-
tary of State Robert Lansing, Henry
White. formerly American ambassa-
dor at Rome and Paris; Col. Edward
NJ House and Gen. Tasker H. Bliss.
France. was chairman >of the peace
conference. -t ss- <e...-
At first a supreme council or a
council of ten-was organized SO as to
include two representatives each from
Great Britain, France, the United
States. Italy and Japan. Subsequently
this council was divided in two parts
"a council Of four, composed OF
President Wilson and Premiers Lloyd
George, Ciemenceau and Orlando; end
a council OF foreign ministers.
The conference OF the allied dele
cations convened officially. on Janu-
airy IS to draw UP the terms to be
submitted when completed to the
German delegation. President Wilson
had arrived in France on December ID
and had visited England, Italy and
parts of France. ...
Bid to Russians First.
| One of the first acts of the confer
ence was g send proposal to all Rus
! sian factions to meet on the Princes
| Islands to endeaYor to compose the
Russian internal situation. but this
, plan was rejected by the Russians.
| Various factions which were disputing
over territory in different sections of
Europe were directed by the peace
conference TO discontinue their con-
| flicts.
| 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 committee was
! appointed to draw up a covenant. By
January 80. the conference had adopt
ed the plan Of governing colonies and
/ backward nations thru manufactures is
sued to various nations, subject to the
! direction and approval of the league
of nations.
/ The covenant of the league of ma
I tions 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 council
! of ten had continued it's work despite
an attempt to assassinate Premier
! Clemenceau.
Called in Huns April 10.
A report of the international labor
legislation committee was adopted
April IL, Reparation demands to be
| April IA and the Germans we're invited
on April 6 to send their delegation to
Versailles to receive the treaty
The peace conference next consid-
cred the treaty with Austria. The
Italian delegation insisted upon OBJ
tanning control of the formerly Aus
TRAN city of Fiume but on April %
President Wilson gave out a statement
that Plume could net be given to Italy.
On the next day Premier Orlando re-
turned to Rome and for more than a
week thereafter the italian delegates
we're absent but returned on May in
time to participate in the conference
with the German delegates.
i revised covenant of the league of
nations intended to conform in respect
to the Monroe doctrine to objection
raised in America was adopted by the
peace conference on April %. Geneva
was selected as the seat of the league.
Shantung was disposed of on April
30 when the council Of three voted
j to turn 1t 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 creden-
tails to the allied delegates on May /.
Presented to Foe May Z.
The peace treaty. was presented to
the Germans at7NersailIeS on May Z,
the anniversary of the sinking of the
Lusitania, and an official summary
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 possible
future German aggression. The man
ner in which the Germans received
the treaty was described as: insolent
Numerous German leaders declared
they would not sign it and a week OF
mourning was decreed by the German
government but the decree was yir-
tually unheeded .>.-
Thereafter the German delegate: