The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-01-03
md President Wilson, upon his return.

which he emphasized the necessity Oh
the United States taking Leading
part in the organization of the League
of Nations.
Meantime the peace conference was
endeavoring TO reach solution OF
several other vexing problems. OH
ter dispute had arisen between itai!
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 its population was largely
italian, while the Jugo-SlavS main
tanned that possession Of this port was
essential IL their newly organized ma
ton was to have access to 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 arrivai
in France on March IA 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 chlei
problems before the peace conference
WAS replaced by a council OF four, con
sist,ng of President Wilson and Pre-
miers Lloyd George. Clemenceau ana
Orlando From that time up to the
actual signing Of the peace treaty an
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 pienary
session of the peace conference on
April %. President Wilson, as CHAIR
man of the commission which framed
the covenant, explained the changes
that had been made. mostly as result
of criticism in the United States. Ohe
ments made was that providing that
the covenant should not affect existing
understandings for maintaining peace.
While il was not so stated specifically,
this amendment was designed to pre-
vent the League of Nations covenant
from interfering with the Monroe doc
trine. The revised covenant was
adopted by the unanimous vote OF the
peace conference
On April 30 the council of four
which by this time had been reduced
to a council of three by the with
drawal of the Italians, agreed TO
transfer to Japan the German posses
sion of Kiau-Chau. The Chinese dele
CATION objected strenuously to this set
Element, although Japan agreed uitl'
mately to restore the territory &c
China. On May g. the council deter
mined that Great Britain and her colo
MES and dOminions should become
mandatory for the islands north OF the
equator.
BY May the treaty had finally been
completed and on that date 1t was
presented to the German plenipoten
tiaries at Versailles. The pact, while
It represented chiefly the deliberations
Of the council of four. had been adopt
ed by conference in which q alice
and associated powers were represent
ed. At the same time 1t was an
nounced that President Wilson anf
Premier Lloyd George had negotiated
treaties with France providing tina
the United States and Great Britain
would come Immediately to the assist
ance Of France in case of any future
unprovoked attack by Germany. Whel
| the peace treaty was submitted to tn
Germans the Italian delegates were
present, having returned to Paris II
response to an invitation extended b!
President Wilson and Premiers Lloyt
George and Clemenceau.
The German delegates were not per
mitted to discuss the peace treaty will
the conference but were given fifteel
days in which to submit their reply II
writing. Announcement of the term
of the treaty caused storm in Ger
| many. The terms we're denounced b.
President Ebert of Germany as beinj
| the most severe ever Imposed upon
vanquished people" Several commu
nications requesting changes in tn
treaty were submitted by the German
delegates and these were given cOnsid
GRAFTON by the council Of five. AS
result some parts of the treaty wer
made more lenient toward German!
| The revised terms were presented {
| Count RrockdOrff- Rantzau, head of tn
German delegation on June 16 and tn
| Germans were given seven days |
which to sign. The German nations
assembly on June %, by vote of %
to 1873. authorized the government t
sign the treaty. On June % tn
treaty was signed at Versailles by rel
reSentatives of Germany and Of tn
allied and associated powers. TIL
Chinese delegates alone refused I
sign because Of the Shantung settle
ment.
On June % President Wilson sale
from France and returned to tn
United States after an absence {
more than six months On July 10 h
4 presented the treaty to the senate an
there at once developed bitter opp
sition to its adoption without chans
or reservation.
On September 10 Senator Lodge sui
mitted the majority report of the con
mittee on foreign relations. proposin
| amendments and four reservations