Allies at peace with Germany: last acts in Paris
12 January 1920
The last acts in concluding peace with Germany were performed on Saturday afternoon as arranged, by the Allies of Europe and Japan. All measures for the execution of the treaty are at once set on foot. The most important, from the point of view of the resumption of friendly relations, is the repatriation of the large number of German prisoners still held in France and of the crews of the scuttled ships held by Great Britain.
The American Ambassador was merely a spectator of these ceremonies. By way of giving precision to the separate situation of the United States, the State Department in Washington has formally notified Germany that the conditions of the Armistice are still in force.
The ceremony
Paris, Saturday
The Peace Treaty was ratified at 4.15 this afternoon. There were a number of onlookers at the Quai d’Orsay to watch the arrival of the delegates. M Clemenceau received a great ovation, as also did Mr Lloyd George, who arrived on foot and was obliged to wait a few moments before he was able to get through the steady stream of motorcars. Just before four o’clock as M Clemenceau, Mr Lloyd George, Signor Nitti, Mr Matsui, M Pichon, Baron von Lersner, and Herr von Simson were admitted.
M Clemenceau, after having declared that the Protocol was identical with that submitted on November 2, invited the German delegates to sign.
After this had been done, M Clemenceau handed them a letter stating that the Allies undertook, if necessary, to reduce the amount of labour and material demanded from Germany. All this lasted barely three minutes.
“The treaty is in force”
When all the signatures had been appended, M Clemenceau rose and said: “The Protocol and ratification of the treaty concluded between the Powers of the Entente and Germany are signed. From this moment the treaty comes into force, and it will be executed in all its clauses. The sitting is at an end.”
The ceremony at the Quai d’Orsay was the shortest of these great historic occasions. It was all over in quarter of an hour.
An incident much remarked on was when M Clemenceau, after signing, saluted, and said a few words to Baron von Lersner and Herr von Simson, who had been the first to append his signature. M Clemenceau, as President of the Peace Conference, evidently wished to show in this informal way that peace relations from today had been resumed.
This is an edited extract. Read the article in full.
Editorial: Peace in force
12 January 1920
The final act of the long-drawn-out negotiations took place at Versailles on Saturday afternoon, and to-day Germany and the Allies – always with the exception of America – are at peace. Peace is a blessed word, and both the word and the fact are welcome to-day. So far as Germany is concerned there is for the present an end of strife, and at least a formal return to the decent relations of civilised states. It will now presumably be possible for personal intercourse to be resumed with some degree of freedom and for commerce to revive. Time, the great healer, can begin the work of reparation and oblivion, and Germany, once more mistress of her fate, can take the first steps on the long and painful road of rebuilding the ruins of a nation.
France and America’s abstention: anxiety for the future
14 January 1920
From our special correspondent
Paris, Sunday night (delayed in transmission)
The ratification of the Treaty, which depends and is based on America, took place without any American being present. Paris feels that this is at any rate a bad omen. There is a feeling that Mr Wallace, the American Ambassador, could at least have come informally. A chair was placed for him, but not having received any instructions from his Government he did not attend, and veterans of diplomacy are agreed that his abstention was the only thing he could do in the circumstances.
All through the comment here on the event this is the chief preoccupation – the extent to which this symbolical abstention is to be translated into action in future. Everyone realises now with some dread that all depends on America and the extent to which they are to continue an active European policy. Nothing more than the doubt and the hope that in the end America will come back to occupy her empty chair at the head of the table has kept European diplomacy from a panicky hunt to supply the gaps which are left open while America hesitates by private alliances, secret agreements – all the old struts and shores of diplomacy which even sceptics half believed had gone out of date.
France, who now regrets her hostility to the League, has never been in likelier mood to believe in it than now – with America in it. Without America her disbelief is stronger than it has ever been before.
In short, the reaction on the press, diplomats, and common citizens here of the so long awaited ratification is mainly great anxiety about the future relations of America and Europe. The principal thing that Paris saw in the ceremony was the empty chair of the American Ambassador. On the extent to which this impressed the leaders of Europe as likely to be permanent depends to a considerable degree the evolution of the grave diplomatic decisions and policies now being developed.
This is an edited extract. Read the article in full.
