The Cambria Daily Leader

DRAMATIC SCENE. PLAIN SPEAKING AT VERSAILLES. I I WHAT RAHTZAU SAID. VERSAILLES, Wednesday. Almost on the stroke of three o'clock the German delegates arrived at the Trianon Palace in three cars, the first containing Count Brockdorff-Rantzau. Their reception wag, to say the least, cold. On the steps of the main entrance to the Trianon Palace were grouped quite a number of officers of the Allied Armies. It was noticed that while some turned their backs evidently to avoid ealutini, those who did salute did go in a most formal and perfunctory manner, The sitting having been d?iart-d open, M. Clemenceau read a document, a copy of which had been hacd&d to eT?rv dele- gate in advance, informing the Germans that they would be given a fortnight in which to prt their observations on I the treaty. While M. Clcm?p&oau'e speech was be- i ing translated, M. Dutacta, Secretary- ¡ general of the Peace Conference, slipped I quickly across the space between the tables and handed to Count Brockdorif Rantzati, who rose to receive it, a bulky volume containing the text of the Treaty, WHAT CLEMENCEAU SAID. I M. Clemeno?au's speech was translated a8 he proceeded into German and English. He said; "Gentlemen, plenipotentiaries of the German Empire,—It is neither the time nor the place for superfluous words. Yoii have before you the accredited pleni- potentiaries of 8.11 small and gr.=-.at Powers, united to fight together in the wa.r that was so ruelly inipc)Fsl on them. The time ba6 come when we must sc-ttle our accounts. You have asked for peace. We are ready to give you peace. We I shall present to you now a book which contains our condition. You will b? given to examine those conditions the I time necessary for it. Everything will be don with courtesy. That is the priri- lege of civi!??d nations. To gite you my I thought completely you will find us ready to give you any explanation you want, but we must say at the same time, this Treaty of Versailles has cost us too much not to take on our side all necessary pre- cautions and guarantees that this peace shall be a lasting one. THE PROCEDURE. I I will give voti notice of the procedure that has been adopted by the Conferenc for the discussion, and if anyone has any observation to offer he will have the right to do so. No oral discussion is to take place, and the observations of the German delegation will have to be submitted in writing. The German plenipotentiaries will know that they have the maximum period of fifteen day? within which to pre- sent in English and French their written observations on the whole of the treaty, the headings of which are as follows.- [Here M. Clemencean i-eed the headings]. H Before the expiration of the aforesaid period of fifteen days (continued M. Clemenceau), tfae German delegate* will be entitled to send their reply on par- ticular headings af the Treaty, or t. oAk- questions in regard to them. After ex- amining the observations presented with- in the Aforesaid period, the Supreme [Council will send their answer in writing to the German delegation, amd determine the period within whidh the final answer must be given by that delegation. 1 wish to add that when we receive, after two or three or four or five days, any observation from the German delega- tion on Any point of the Tieaty, we shall not wait until the end of the fifteen days to give our answer. We shall at once proceed in the way indicated by thif docu- ment. RANTZAU'S REPLY. Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, freaking in German (tlie speech was translated into French and English), said:- Gentlemen,—We are deeply impressed with the sublime task which has brought us hither to give a durable peace to tine world. We are under no illusion as to the extent of our defeat and the dsgree of our want of power. We know that the power of German arms is broken. We know the power of the hatred which we encounter here, and we have heard the passionate demand that the victors shall make lifi pay as the vanquished, and shall punish those who are worthy of being punished. It is demanded of us that we shall confess ourselves to be the only ones guilty of the war. Such a confession in my mouth will be a lip. We are far from declining 4ny responsibility for thic great world war having come to pass, and for its having been made in the way in which it was made. The attitude of the former German Government at the Ilajjfue Peace Conference, its actions and omissions in the tragic twelve days of July certainly contributed to the disaster, but we energetically deny that Germany and its people, w ho were convinced that they were making a war of defence, were alone guilty. Nobody will want to coo- tend that the disaster took its course only in the disastrous moment when the heir to the Throne of Austria-Hungary fell the victim of murderous hands. In the last 50 years the Imperialism of all European States has chronically poisoned the internal situation. The policy at retaliation and the policy of expansion and disregard of the rights of peoples to determine their destiny have contributed to the illness of Europe, which reached it6 crisis in the world war. GERMANY'S GUILT. Count Rantxau also d-soies that Ger- »f*any had been the only one guilty of atrocities during the war, and in this con- nection referred to the thousands whc. had died in Germany since the armistice as a result of the continuance of the block- ade. He declared the Allies had adopted President Wilson'6 fourteen points, with two minor reservations, and in effect ex- pressed the willingness of the Germans to negotiate peace on the basis of the treaty submitted, subject to the principles of the fourteen points. He suggested that this could best b? done by an examination of the various problems involved by com- mittees of experts. The sitting lasted nearly an hour, prac- tically the whole of which was occupied by the lone speech delivered by Crrant Brockdorff-Rantzau. On behalf of the Allies bo reply was made. M. Clemenceau declared the sitting i ended a.t four o'clock, when the Omni had finished speaking.

THE PEACE TERMS I (Continued from Page Four.) aents for food and raw materials may be deducted at the discretion of the Allies In periodically ebtimat,; nGermany's ca- pacity to pay the Reparation Commission shall examine the German system of taxa- tion. First, to the end that the eunia for reparation which Germanv is required ">o pay shall become a charge upon all her re- venues prior to that for the service or dia- t charge of any domestic loan, and secondly. •o as to tat.isfy itself that in general the Gtrma-12 scheme of taxation is fully as heavy proportionately as that of any of the Powers represented on the Commission. The to which the Allied Powers shall have the right to take in case of voluntary default by Germany, and which Germany agrees not to regard as ects of war, may include economic and 1 financial prohtbition and re-prisals. BOND ISSUES. I The Commission may require Germany 1 to give from time to" time by -way of guarantee issues of Bonds or other obliga- tions to rover such claims as are not 1 otherwise satisfied. In this connection, and on account of the total amount of claims, Bond issues are presently to be in- quirtd of Germany in acknowledgment of f its debts as follows:— £ 1,000,000,000 marks gold, payable not later than the 1st May, 1921, without in- rterest; 1)2,000,000,000 marks gold bearing I 2i per cent. interest between 1021 and I 1926, and thereafter 5 per cant., with a 1 » per cent. sinking fund payment beginning in 1936, and an undertaking to deliver Bonds to all additional amount of £ 20.000,000,000. Interest on Germany's deibt will be 5 per cent. unless otherwise determined, and payments that are'not made in gold K may be accepted by the Commission in the V form of properties, commodities, busi- nesses, rights, concessions, etc. SHIPPING. I The German Govertiment recognises the right of the Allies to the replacement, ton for ton and class for class, of all t merchant ships and fishing boats lost or damaged owing to the war, and agrees to i cede to the Allies all German merchant fillips of 1600 tons gross and upwards, one- laalf of her ships between 1600 and 1000 tons gross, and one-quarter of her steam trawlers and other fishing boats. These ships are to be delivered within two months. As an additional part of repar- ation the German Government further agrees to build merchant ships for the account of the Allies to the amount A 320t exceeding 200,000 tons groes annually daring the next live years. 1 All chips used for inland navigation taken by Germany from the Allies are to be restored within two months, the a.'nount of loss not covered by such resti- tution to i-e made up by the cession Hf tit-i German river fleet up to twenty per Cfiit. tiiaroof. RESTORING SNVADED AREAS. I Germany undertakes to devote her economic resources directly to the phy- sical restoration of the invaded areas. > The Reparation Commission is author- ised to require Germany to replace the destroyed articles by the delivery of t animals, machinery, etc., and to manu- facture materials required for recon- struction purpose#, all with due consider- ation for Germany's essential domestic requirement* Germany is to deliver annually for ten yoai's to France coal equivalent to the difference between the annual pre-war output of the Nord and Pas de Calais mines and the annual production during v ten years. Germany further gives options over ten years for the delivery of seven million tons of coal per year to < i'rance in addition to the above, of eight million tons to Belgium, and a large I quantity to Italy, at prices to be fixed. Provision is al<i> made for delivery to t Prance over three years of benzol, coal » tar, and sulphate of ammonia..The Com- mission has powers to postpone or annul the above deliveries should they interfere nnduly with industrial requirements of Germany. DESTROYED TREASURES OF I LOUVAIN. I As reparation for the destruction of the library of Louvain, Germany is to hand over manuscripts, early printed books, prints, etc., to the equivalent of ►i those dead royed. WITHIN SIX MONTHS. I Germany is to restore within "ix months the Koran of the Caliph Otiiman, for- merly at Medina, to the Kiug of the (f.{e.clja-s, and the skull of the Sultan » Mkwawa, formerly in German Last, Airica, to the British Government. The German Government is also to re- store to the French Government certain papers taken by them in 1870, belonging then to M. Rouher, and to restore the French flags taken during the war of 1670-71. t SECTION IX. I  F!NANCE. I -& I Section Nine, which deals with finance, t tttatos that the Powers to which German territory is ceded, will assume a certain portion of the German pre-war debt. In > view. however, of the special circum- stances under which Alsace-Lorraine was separated irom 1 ranee, when Germany refused to accept any part of the French public debt, France will not assume any fart of GNmany' pr?-war debt, nor wiii 'oland shaM in certain German dcbt? in- curred for the oppression of Poland. The lvalue of German Government property in ceded territory will, in general, be credited to Germany on account of repar- ation. but no credit will be given for any rman Government property in Alsace- Traina t Germany renounces all rights of repre- • oentafion on, or control of, State banks, r or other similar inter- national it'nancial and economic organisa- I COST OF ARMIES OF OCCUPA.I TION. Germa.ny is ?<'ired to pay t-h fetal cost of t?e Arllies oi, ?.P?ion from the date of the fAn rmif ^i T as 2th?e™y 8 maintaineVd r ten-ttorT, a?nd thic cost is to  fir ch.trge ?n h?r re- o sources. The cosa HtwT °n 7' the rle,it, (- f%R^epara!tion is tthhel ?t. ch?rafter ma.)? ?,? p?vi.?n for pa?? enr. ?r Tmports as the Allies may deem nGc<?-sary. Germany ? to deliver to ?? AJJiod Powers ?aH ? ?!ms t? d<'pc?ite<t in Gf-rm-?? by Tu,.?y .nd Austri..Hun?r???? *ion with t?e financial Mpp?rt extended by her to t, ilp-M during the war, and to < transfer to the Allies all claim; Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, or Turkev in with agreements made during » t '1Vaz. Germany confirms the renuncia- hÐn of the Treaties of Bucharest and Urest-Litovsk. CEDED TERRITORIES. I "? the requt of the Reparation Gom- lS8lOn Germany will fxpropnate any riiff or interests of her nationals iu public utilities in ceded territories or administered by mandatories wild 4 i Tirl, China, Russia, Austria-Hun- 9-ary, and Bnjgarin. and transfer them to ^■*wnini$sion, wiiioh will credit hex » their value. V

SECTION X. I ECONOMIC CLAUSES. Section 10 contains provisions for secur- ing; that Germany shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against the trade of Allied and Associated countries The Ger- man import tariff applicable at the outset to Allied goods will not exceed the lowest rat-" of 1914. After six months Germany will free to raise her tariffs, but re- striction on agricultural products will ex tend for a further period of two and a half years. Each Allied bt, may renew any of it* treaties with Germany in so far as is con- sistent with the Peace Treaty by giving notice within six months. Any compensation due to her own nationals is to be paid by Germany. LIQUIDATION, CONTROL, Etc. All action of liquidation, control, etc.. in Germany is to he stayed, and the Allied properties if not completely liqui- dated is to be restored. The Allies re- serve the right to retain and liquidate aU German property within their terri- tory. The net proceeds of sales of such property are to he credited to Germany, and to be applied by each State to the satisfaction of claims. Pre..war contracts between Allied nationals and German nationals are in general cancelled as from the date at which the parties became enemies. DISPUTES OVER CONTRACTS. I A mixed arbitral Tribunal is to be established between each of the Allies and Germany to (loci(le all (li";Plltes re- lating to contracts so far as they do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Allied or Associated or neutral courts. The High Contracting Powers who bad not signed or ratified the Opium Conven- tion of 1912 agree to bring it into force. Rights in industrial, literary, and artistic property are re-established, but subject in the case of German-owned rights to the effect of the special war measures of the Allies the right of i-ii- posing on German patents nnd copyrights conditions in the public interest or tc secure the fulfilment of Germany's (bh. gations is reserved. SECTION XI. 1 AERIAL NAVIGATION. I Section 11-Acrial ^Navigation—st.i^es aircraft of the Allied and Armw-.aleli Powers shall have full liberty, of fa ssc-se and landing over and in German erril-e)ry equal treatment, with German planes as to .the nee of German aerodromes and with most-favoured nation planes as to internal commercial traffic in Germany. These rules apply until 1923 unless Ger- manv has since been admitted to the League of Nations, or the International Air Convention. SECTION XII. I PORTS, WATERWAYS, AND I RAILWAYS. Section 12, dealing with ports, water- ways and railways, says: Germany is re- quired -o gran. freedom of transit .r:d full national treatment to persons, goods, vessels rolling stock, etc., of the HWHl or Associate States passing through Ger- man te^ritoiv Goods in transit are to be free of customs duty. INTERNATIONAL RIVERS. I The Elbe. from the junction of the Vitava (Moldan), and the Vitava below Prague; the Oder, from its confluence with the Oppa; the Niemen, below Grodno; and the Danube, below DIm, arc declared International, together with the portions of their affluents. Germany is to baud. over within three months from notification a proportion of its r.ver shipping, steam tugs. and material. In the case of the Danube, the former Commission is to resume its pre- war powers. Provision is also made for a [deep-draught Rhine-Danube Canal should it be decided to construct it within 25 years. France is to have full rights all along her own frontiers to use water from the Rhine for canals, etc., and to carry out Works for deriving motive power, subject to certain payments and to the consent of the Commission. Germany is to undertake to make no canals on the right bank opposite the trench frontier. The German Govern- ment is to lease tht. Tchecho-Slovak Re- public for 99 years areas in the harbours of Hambutg and Stettin as free zones. When a new Railway Convention .has replaced the Beriif) Coiii-eiition of 1890, it will be binding on Germany. In the. meantime she is to follow the Berne Con- vention. Germany is to execute instructions given in the name of the Allies as to the transfer of troops, material, munitions, etc., transport for the revictualling of certain regions. Germany is to agree to subscribe to any General Conventions regarding the International regime of transit, water- ways, ports, or railways, which may be concluded by the Allies within five years. KIEL CANAL. I Tho Kiel Canal is to remain free and open to shipe of war and merchant ship- ping of all nations at peace with Ger- many. Subjects, goods, and ships of all States are to be treated <m terms of equality in the use of the Canal, and charges are to be limited to those neces- sary for the upkeep and improvement, of the Canal, for which Germany ib to be responsible. In cases of violation of these provisions or disagreements as to them, States concerned may appeal to the juris- diction established by the League of Nations, and may demand the appoint- ment of an International Commission. I SECTION XIII. THE LABOUR COMMISSION. Section 13 deals with the Labour Con.. vent ion. Uuder the provisions of the Labour C,onveiitioii.- 1. Au International Conference is to be held annually, to propose Labour re- forms for adoption by States composing the League of Nations. 9 2. There is to be a governing body to act as executive and to prepare the agenda for the Conference and an Inter- national Labour Office for the collection and distribution of information and re- port. The head of t. I, is oiffce vs-ill be re- sponsible to the governing body. 3. The annual Conference will consist of four representatives from each State, two for the State and one each for em- ployers and employed. Each delegate may vote independently. The Confer- ence will have power to adfpt by a two- third majority recommendations or draft conventions on Labour matters. Recommendations or draft conventions so adopted must be brought by each State before the authority or authorities within whose competence the matter lies for the enactment for legislation or other action. If a draft convention receives the approval of the competent authority the State in question is under obligation to ratify it and to carry it into effect. Should any State fail to observe the above obligations it will lie open to the govern- ing body to appoint a Commission of In- quiry, as a* result of who. findings the League of Nations may take economic measures against the offending State. 4. Special provision is made to prevent- any conflict with the constitution of the United States or other Federal States. 5. To meet the case of countries where climate, imperfect, industrial develop- ment, or other special circumstances under labour conditions substantially dif- ferent -from those obtaining elsewhere, the Conference must take the difference into account in framing any convention. A protocol attached to the convention ) provides that the first meeting shall be at Washington in the pros-eat year, and I sets up an International Organising Com- mittee for that purpose. The protocol also contains the agenda for the firt I meeting, which includes the principle of the eight-hours d^y, the question of un- emoloviueut. Rnd of the employment of women and children, especially in dan-1 gerous trades. A ppended to the section containing the Labour Convention is an affirmation liyl the high contracting parties of the methods and principles for regulating labour conditions, which all industrial communities should endeavour to apply po far as their special circumstances per- mit. Among these are, that- Labour should not be regarded merely as a commodity or article of commerce; the right of associ- ation for all lawful purposes for the em- ployer as well as for the employed; the payment to the employe of a wage imply- ing a reasonable standard of life, as un- derstood in their time and country. The -i(]oPt.i(iii -of ;An Piglit-lioiir, day or a forty-eight hours' week, where it has not already been attained; the adoption of a weekly rest of at least twenty-four hours, including Sunday, where practicable. The abolition of child labour and the limifa- tion of the labour of the young, eo as to permit the continuance of their education I and proper physical development; The principle of equal pay for men and women for equal work. Any legal standard for conditions of labour" to have regard in each country to the equitable economic treatment of all workers resident therein. The provision by each State of a system of inspedjoll for the protection of the employed, in which women should take part. I SECTION XIV. I GUARANTEES. I Section H, which deals with guarantees, states; As a guarantee for the execution of the Treaty, German territory to the west of the Rhine, together with the bridgeheads, will be occupied by Allied and Associated troops for fifteen, years. If the conditions are faithfully carried out by Germany certain districts, in- cluding the bridgehead of Cologne, will be evacuated at the expiration of five years; certain other districts, including the bridgehead of Coblcnr. will be evacuated after ten years, and the re- mainder, including the bridgehead of :Mains. will b.\ evacuated after fifteen years. IF GERMANY FAILS. I n ca le- the Inter-Allied Reparation Committer finds that Germany has failed to observe the whole or pert of her obli- gation either during the occupation or after the 15 years have expired, the whole or pnrt of tiie area specified will be re- occupied immediately. If before the ex- piration of the fifteen years Germany com- plies with all the undertakings resulting from the present Treaty, the occupying forces will be withdrawn immediately. In Eastern Europe similarly all German troops at present in the territories to the East of the new frontier shall return a? soon as the Allies think the moment suit- abl. SECTION XV. MISCELLANEOUS. Section 15 deals with mi seel hi neons matters. VALIDITY OF TREATIES, Germany agrees to recognise the fn;l validity of the treaties of peace and addi- tional conventions to be concluded by the Allied and Associated Powers with the Powers allied with Germany, to agree to the decisions, to be taken as to territories of Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Tur- key, and to recognise the new States in the frontiers to be fixed for them. Germany accepts all decrees, etc.. as to German ships and goods made by any Allied Prize Court, aDd the Allies reserve the right to examine all decisions of Ger- man Prize Courts. The present Treaty, of which the French and English texts are authentic, shall be ratified, and the deposit of ratification made in Paris, ss soon possible. Various diplomatic provisions as to ratification follow. The Treaty is to enter into force in all respects for each Power on the date of deposit fo* ;*t ratification,