The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1921-11-25
GERMAN PEACE
DECREE SIGNED
July 2, 1921, Fixed in Presidential
Proclamation as Date
War Ended.
SIGNED WITHOUT CEREMONY
Calls Upon All Citizens to Observe
Every Article and Clause of
German Treaty-Property
Status Fixed.

WaShington-Peac between the
United States and Germany was form
ally proclaimed by President Harding.
The President in his proclamation
signed without ceremony at 3 80 p. m,
declared the state of war between the
United States and Germany, existing
from April 6, 1917, to have terminated
in fact July 2, 1921, when the joint
peace resolution of Congress was ap-
proved by the executive.
Complete absence of ceremony at
tended the signing of the proclama-
ton. Mr.. Harding had just returned
to the White House from the cere-
monies at the dedication of the Vic
tory Memorial. He was informed that
the proclamation was ready for his
signature, and without any ceremony
whatever, the President signed his
name.
Issuance of the proclamation which
followed exchange of ratificatiOns Of
the treaty of Berlin, was considered
the first of series of three steps
which when completed will return the
status.
The second step probably will be the
PRONUNCIATION of a proclamation de-
claring the war with Austria to have
ended and the third the issuance of
a similar proclamation with respect
to Hungary. The proclamation deal
ing with Austria is expected to be
signed by the President and issued
through the state department within
a few days as ratitications of the
treaty between the United States and
Austria were exchanged at Vienna
last Tuesday. Ratitications between
the United States and Hungary are
expected to be exchanged soon and
the proclamation issued afterward.
Until the third and final step is
taken the purposes of the formal proc
lamatiOns will not be achieved in the
opinion of officials These purposes
are stated to be to put an end with
out doubt to certain war laws un-
affected by the Congressional reso-
luton of repeal approval last March.
Notable among these war time laws
are sections of the espionage act, the
Liberty bond act and trading with the
enemy act. Portions Of the last named
statute are preserved, however,
through the treaty.
Disposition of the cases of Eugene
V. Debs and others convicted of viola
ton of war laws likewise will await
the third and final step. Attorney Cen
eral Daugherty has prepared an opin-
ion for the President suggesting
method of disposing of the Debs case,
and, it is understood, proposing
definite treatment of the cases of
others convicted of similar offenses.
This opinion, however, has not yet
been presented to the President and
Mr.. Daugherty has indicated that
there may be last minute changes be-
fore its submission.
The proclamation issued has no
bearing on the resumption of .diplo-
matte relations between the United
States and Germany, state department
officials asserting that the exchange
of ratification in itself restores such
diplomatic relations. Just when Ger
many will resume her old diplomatic
status in Washington is not known to
officials here but it is expected that
Baron Edmund Thermann, former
counselor of the German legation at
Budapest, will arrive in Washington
shortly to arrange for a tehnical in
stallation of a German embassy.
Press dispatches from Germany
have indicated that the Ebert Govern
ment was having difficulty in find
ing suitable appointee to the Wash
ington amhassadorship in view of the
expense through difference in eX-
change rates. 1t has been suggested
that Germany might for time be
content with charge d'affaires but
such suggestion has not been officially
communicated to the American state
6ppartmpnt