The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-01-02

n prevention of all financial, COM
mercial or personal intercourse" be-
tween the nation failing t abide by
IN decision and all other member
states Of the League of Nations.
On the same day that he presented
this plan to the peace conference Pres
ident Wilson sailed for the United
States to attend the closing sessions
OF congress at Washington. Opposi-
tion to the Incorporation Of the League
OF Nations covenant In the peace treaty
already had developed in this country.
and President Wilson. upon his return,
an address at Boston in
which he emphasized the necessity Of
the United States taking a leading
part In the organization Of the League
of Nations.
Meantime the peace conference was
endeavoring to reach a solution Of
several other vexing problems. A 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 its population IA largely
italian. while the Jugo-Slavs main.
tanned that possession Of this port was
essential II 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 a week
In the United States. With his arrival
in France OF March IA the peace con
ference began consideration of econ
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 a council Of four, n
sisting Of President Wilson and Pre-
miers Lloyd George, Clemenceau and
Orlando. From that time up to the
actual signing of the peace treaty all
Of the problems arising We're 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 a plenary
session Of the peace conference on
April IS. President Wilson, as chair
mar Of the commission which framed
the covenant, explained the changes
that had been made, mostly as a result
of criticism In the United States. One
of the most important of the amend
ments made was that providing that
the covenant should not affect existing
understandings for maintaining peace.
While 1t "a not s o 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 possess
CATION objected strenuonsly to this set
Element. although Japan agreed ulti-
mately to restore the territory to
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 the
equator.
BY May 8 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 a conference in which q allied
and associated powers were represent
ed. At the same time It was an
nounced that President Wilson and
premier Lloyd George had negotiated
treaties with France providing that
the United States and Great Britain
would come Immediately TO the assist
ance of France In case Of any future
unpr0voked attack by Germany. When
the peace treaty was submitted to the
Germans the Italian delegates were
present. having returned TO Paris In
response to an invitation extended by
President Wilson and Premiers Lloyd
George and Clemencean.
The German delegates were not per-
mitfed TO discuss the peace treaty with
the conference but were given fifteen
days In which to submit their reply In
writing. Announcement OF the terms
Of the treaty caused a storm in Ger
many. The terms were denounced by
President Ebert Of Germany as being
the most severe ever Imposed upon a
vnnQnished people" Several commn-
nications requesting changes In the
treaty were submitted by the German
delegates and these we're given consid-
Grafton by the council Of five. As n
result some parts Of the treaty were