The New York herald., 1920-01-11
II NATIONS WERE REPRESENTED
IN EXCHANGED RATIFICATIONS
AT THE FRENCH FOREIGN OFFICE
Continued from Page one.o

tives of Poland, afte signing the atifica
ton minutes, also signed the minutes OF
the ratification of the treaty for the pro
lection of racial minorities.
Premier Clemcnceau, Lloyd George and
Nitti did not leave the Foreign Ministry
with the other allied representatives, but
remained for a conference in private.
The adoption of the alphabetical sequence
for the affixing of signatures to the min
utcs recording tho exchange OF ratifica-
tions led to the lesser Powers, after Grea
Britain, France. Italy, Japan and Belgium
signing as follows;-
Bolivia. Brazil, Guatemala, Panama
Peru, Poland, Siam, Czochoslovakia anC
Uruguay.
Panama was not mentioned in the pre-
liminary list of the nations to take part in
the exchange of Publications today. He
Assembly, however ratified the Versailles
treaty yesterday. and presumably the no
tification of this action was cabled to the
Panama representative in Paris i'm time
to enable that nation TO paticipate in this
afternoons ceremony.l
Baron Kurt Won Lersner. head ef the
German mission, affixed his signature to
the protocol at 4 :06 o'clock
After the exchange of notifications Of
the treaty Premier Clemenceau handed to
Baron Won Lersner the following letter.
Paris. January 10.
the note OF November 2 has been signed
by qualified representatives of the Ger
man government and In consequence the
notifications of the treaty of Versailles
have been deposited, the allied and asSoci
ated Powers wish to renew TO the German
government their assurance that while
necessary reparations for the sinking of
the German fleet in Scapa Flow will be
exaGted they do not intend 10 injure the
vital economic interest OF Germany. on
this point, by this letter, they confirm the
declarations which the general secretary
OF the peace conference was charged with
making orally TO tho president OF the
German delegation on December 20"
The letter gives details Of the compensa-
ton for the vessels sunk in Scapa Flow.
as modified, which already have been
made public
The making Of the peace, which now be-
comes effective. was begun soon after the
conclusion of the armistice Of November
H. 1915 which ended the great war. The
Treaty OF Versailles, as II has become
known, was signed in the historic YER
sailles Palace on June Is. 1919.
The long interval between the assem-
bling of the peace conference at Versailles
on January IS. 1919. and the signing OF the
treaty, was occupied with almost daily
conferences on its provisions between the
representatives OF the nations which had
been at war with Germany or had broken
rea ions with her, the principal parts
being taken by delegates OF France, Great
Britain, Italy. Japan and the United
States The first important work com
pleted was the drawing up OF the covenant
OF the League of Nations, which was
finished on February IL. The German
representatives were invited 10 Versailles
during April. after the draft Of the terms
OF peace had been completed. They re-
ceived the treaty on May Z.
The treaty not only defines the terms OF
peace with Germany but contains the
League Of Nations covenant and the pro-
visions for the international labor organi-
zatlon. The document comprises fifteen
parts, with numerous annexes. IL pro-
vded that az soon as II had been ratitied
by Germany and three OF the principal
allied and associated Powers process
verbal of the deposit of notifications
should be drawn up, from the date of
which the treaty would come into force as
between the Powers which had ratified II.
The treaty will enter into force for each
other power at the date Of the deposit Of
its ratification.
In October last a sufficient number OF
Powers had ratified the treaty to comply
withe the requirements for its effective
ness. Because OF the sinking of the in
termed German war ships by their officers
and crews at Scapa Flow, however, and
the failure of the Germans 10 live up to
some Of the armistice terms. tho Allies. or
November T. demanded that before tn,
treaty was nut into effect Germany should
sign n protocol providing for reparatior.
for tho destruction OF the war ships and
guaranteeing the carrying out of the ar
mstice terms.
Since that time the question or the pro-
tocol and particularly the reparation pro-
visions In It, have been under negotiations