The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-01-03


the United States taking a leading
part in the organization Of the League
of Nations.
Meantime the peace conference was
endeayoring to reach a solution or
several other vexing problems. 4 bit
ter dispute had arisen between Italy
and the new JUgo-Slav state as TO the
possession of the eastern coast OF the
Adriatic The Italians demanded pos
session of the city Of Fiume on the
ground that it's population was largely
Italian, while the Jug0-SlavS MAIN
tanned that possession Of this port was
essential If their newly organized ma
ton was 10 have access 10 the sea.
The japanese delegates also gave
an early indication of their attitude
by insisting upon Japan's right to re-
tain the Marshall and Caroline islands.
which she had taken from Germany.
President Wilson returned TO Paris
after spending little more than week
in the United States. With his arrival
IL France on March II the peace con
ference began consideration of recon-
mendations by various committees.
and the peace treaty began TO take
definite shape.
On March "a the council OF ten
which had been considering the chief
problems before the peace conference
was replaced by council Of four, con
sisting of President Wilson and IRE
miers Lloyd George, Clemenceau ana
Orlando. From that time up to the
actual signing of the peace treaty all
of the problems arising were disposed
of by this council of four, in which,
at times. the premier OF Japan also
participated.
The revised covenant of the League
of Nations was presented at plenary
session of the peace conference OH
April %. President Wilson, as chair-
man of the commission which frameu
the covenant, explained the changes
that had been made, mostly as result
of criticism in the United States. one
Of the most important of the aDenn-
ments made was that providing that
the covenant should not affect existing
understandings for maintaining peace
While II was not so stated specifically,
this amendment was designed to pre-
vent the League of Nations covenant
from interfering with the Monroe 6oo
trine. The revised covenant wa
adonted hv rho unanimous vote or the
peace conference.
ON April 80 the council OF four,
which by this time had been reduced
| TO n council of three by the with
drawal of the Italians, agreed 10
transfer to Japan the German posses
sion of Kiau-Chau. The Chinese dele
CATION objected strenuously TO this set
Element, although Japan agreed ulti
| mately to restore the territory tC
| China. On May 6 the council deter
| mined that Great Britain and her colo
MES and dominions should become
| mandatory for the islands north OF thu
equator.
BY MAY the treaty had finally beer
completed and on that date 1t wa
presented 10 the German plenipoten
tiaries at Versailles. The pact. Will
II represented chiefly the elaboration
of the council of four, had been adopt
ed by q conference in which y allie
and associated powers were represent
ed. At the same time 1t was an
nounced that President Wilson an
Premier Lloyd George had negotiate
treaties with France providing tina
the United States and Great Britai
would come Immediately to the assis
ance of France in case of any futur
unprovoked attack by Germany. Whe
the peace treaty was submitted to tn
Germans the Italian delegates wer
present. having returned to Paris ]
response TO an invitation extended b
President Wilson and Premiers Lloy
George and Clemenceau.
The German delegates were not pc
, mitted TO discuss the peace treaty wit
the conference but were given fiftee
days in which to submit their reply
| writing. Announcement of the tern
, | of the treaty caused storm in &c
| many. The terms were denounced I
: President Ebert of Germany as beir
= the most. severe ever Imposed upon
| vanquished people" Several comm
( nications requesting changes in Il
! treaty were submitted by the Germs
delegates and these were given consi
q Grafton by the council of five. AS
q result some parts of the treaty we
{ made more lenient toward German
= The revised terms Were presented
r Count Brockdorff- Rantzau. head of I
: German delegation on June 16. and I
Y Germans were given seven days
I which TO sign. The German nation
t assembly on June 90. by vote of
), TO 1885, authorized the government
/. sign the treaty. On June % {
e treaty was signed at Versailles by re
, resentatives of Germany and Of {
3 allied and associated powers. T
e Chinese delegates alone refused
IS sign because of the Shantung sett
l. ment.
y Dn June ~ tTtSiutilt "hSoh san
le from France and returned to
d United States after an absence
Is more than six months. On July 10
n presented the treaty to the senate a
D. there at orce developed bitter OPP
r sitior To its adoption without char
" or, reservation.
Id On September 10 Senator Lodge s
~ mitted the majority report Of the &C
ne mittee on foreign relations. propos
IN amendments and four reservations