The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-10
NATIONS
FINALLY
AT PEACE
Treaty Covenant Contained
in Document Which Goes
Into Effect Today Between
Nations Ratifying.
U. S. ALONE LEFT OUT
tBy Associated Press,

Icy Associated Press)
PARIS. Jan. 10.-The treaty Of Yer
sailles, making peace between Ger
many and the ratifying Allied powers.
was put into effect at Al o'clock this
afternoon, by the exchange Of ratf-
fications.
The putting OF the league of nations
into being, which will be one of the
immediate consequences of exchange
OF ratification of the treaty of Yer
sailles, will occur In Paris at 10:30
o'clock on the morning of Friday, Jan.
l6, the Supreme council decided today.
Ambassador Wallace cabled this de-
cfsion OF the council to President VIII
son, SO that the president might issue
the formal notice of the meeting OF
the council of the league to be held
on the date named
The first meeting of the council will
be called to order and presided over
by Leon Bourgeois, the representative
Of France In the council
Previously Baron Kurt Won Lers-
ner. head of the German mission, sign
ed the protocol of Nov. 1, providing
for reparations for the sinking of the
German ships at Scapa Flow and to
insure the carrying out of the armis-
tice terms. The signing of this docu-
ment occurred in the office of the min
lister of foreign affairs.
Baron Won Lersner and Herr Won
Simson. the other German representa-,
tive, were among the last of those to
arrive at the foreign ministry for the
days ceremonies. They passed into
the foreign office shortly after Pre-
mier Clemenceau, who as usual was
given an ovation as he stepped out
Of his car.
Assemble In Office
The delegates assembled in the pri-
vate office of the minister of foreign
affairs, where at a secret session the
protocol was signed at 4:09 o'clock.
Led by Premier Clemenceau, the
delegates then filed into the famous
cloak room, where were held the pie
nary sessions of the peace conference
that fixed the terms of the treaty.
Baron Won Lersner and Herr Won
Simson were the last to enter the
room. and first to sign to the minutes
recording the exchange of ratifica-
tions.
The delegates OF the other ratifyins
nations signed in alphabetical Sc
quence. The entire ceremony was
over at 4:16 o'clock when M. Glenn
enceau arose and said:
The protocol having been signed,
as well as the minutes recording the
exchange of ratifications, | have the
honor to declare that the treaty of Yer
sailles is in full effect and that its
terms will be executed integrally."
The ceremony was characterized by
formal politeness to the exclusion of
all cordiality, excepting between the
allied delegates.
At the end of NJ. Clemenceau's re-
marks, all the delegates arose and the
Germans, after slight hesitation, led
the way out without either saluting
or exchanging words with any of the
other delegates.
The absence of American represen-
tatives was not particularly rema rked
Up to the last hour, Hugh c. Wallace,
| the American ambassador. was In
! doubt as to whether he would receive
instructions to attend the ceremony.
Finally hearing nothing from Wash
| ington, he returned to the secretary
of the peace conference the invitations
that had been sent him.
| Peaceful relations between Germany
and the greater number of the nations
engaged in the great war with her are
established by the action taken at
Paris today. The peace treaty now
goes into effect as between Germany
and those powers that have finally
ratified it-Great Britain, France.
Italy, Japanese, Belgium, Bolivia. Bra
zil, Guatemala, Peru, Poland. Siam,
CzHcho-Slovakia and Uruguay.
| Great Britain was the first of the
five great powers represented in the
supreme council Of the peace confer
ence to take such action, being fol-
lowed in succession by France, Italy
and Japan. The United States alone
of the "big five" has not ratified the
t>aaty. AS the list shows. formal rat
ifications have been given by most of
the smaller powers signatory to the
treaty. China did not sign the docu-
ment because of her objections to the
Shantung provisions but proclaimed a
state of peace with Germany.
The all important ratification by
Germany was given on July 8, 1919.
the day following which President
Wilson presented the treaty to the
United States senate.
Armistice Was Beginning.
The making of the peace which
shortly after the conclusion of the
armistice of Nov. IL. 1918, which end
ed the great war. The treaty of ver-
sailles. as 1t has become known was
signed in the historic Versailles pal
ace on June 2S, 1919
i The long interval between the as.
, semblfng of the peace conference at
Versailles on Jan. Is, 1919, and the
signing of the treaty was occupied
with almost daily conferences on its
provisions between the representa-.
| tives of the nations which had been at
; war with Germany or had broken re
, lations with her, the principal ports
being taken by delegates of France
Great Britain, Italy. japan and the
, United States. The first import work
i completed was the finished on Feb
. IA. The German representatives were
: invited to Versailles during April aft
er the draft Of the terms Of peace had
been completed" They received tho
: treaty on May q.
Contains League Covenant.
/ The treaty not only defines the
: terms of peace with Germany but con
J tains the league of nations covenan,
Continued on Pane Tvoiva