PEACE TREATY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1975, 10 May 1919, Page 3

PEACE TREATY.

the preamble

OFFICIAL SUMMARY. MILITARY, POLITICAL * AND ECONOMIC TERMS. GREAT INTERNATIONAL PROVISIONS. London, May 7. The following is the official summary of the Peace Treaty. The Treaty consists of a descriptive introduction, a preamble, and fifteen sections. The draft of the Treaty of Peace which designed in the first instance, to set forth Ihe conditions upon which, alone, the Allied and associated Powers will make peace with Germany; and, in the second place, to establish those international arrangements which the Allies have devised for the prevention of wars in future, and the betterment of mankind. For this latter reason it includes the covenant of the League of Nations, and the International. Labour Convention. The Draft Treat v, however, does not deal, except incidentally, with the problems arising out of the liquidation of the Austrian Empire, nor with the territories of two enemy Powers, Turkey and Bulgaria, except in-so-far as it binds Germany to accept whatever subsequent settlement may be decided upon by the Allies, in the case of these belligerents. The Treaty is divided inti) fifteen sections. The First Section contains the covenant of the League of Nations, to which functions arc assigned in various places by (he Treaty.

The Second Section describes the geographical frontiers of Germany, beginning at the north-eastern point

of the present Belgian Iron tier. The Third Section, which consists of twelve clauses, binds the Germans to accept the political changes in Europe brought about by (lie Treaty. It establishes two new States, Teheehoslovakia and Poland, and provides for their recognition. It revises (he basis of. Lel-

giau sovereignty; niters the houmli aries of Belgium; establishes new svs lei ns of government in Luxembourg and Saar Basin; restores Al-sace-Lorraine to J''rance; provides for possible additions of territoix to Denmark; hinds Germany lo recognise the independence of Geinian Austria, and to accept the conditions to he laid down as to those Stales or (lovernments which have created themselves since the Kus-

sian revolution. The Fourth Section deals with the political reconstruction of territories outside Europe affected by the war. It contains a general renunciation, on the .part of Germany, of her possessions and rights abroad. By it she yields her colonies to the Allies, together with her rights in Africa under the various international Conventions, particularly the Berlin Act of 1885 and the Brussels Act of 1885, which have regulated European enterprise in tropical Africa. This section gives international recognition lo the British Protectorate in Egypt and annuls the Act of Algeciras, which was one step in the Gorman policy of aggression which led to the war. The Fifth Section sols forth the military, naval, and air condition*? of peace, limits the size of the German army and navy, and abolishes compulsory recruiting in Germany, us the first step towards general 'disarmament. The Sixth Section imposes on all the signatory Powers the obligation to maintain all the graves of fallen soldiers, and regulates the return of. prisoners ot war. The Seventh Section deals with responsibilities and punishment, and provides for the trial df the ex-Em-peror William. The Eighth Section sets forth the reparation and restitution to he made by Germany, and contains special provisions relating m dociftnenls and war trophic- seized by ■'the Germans in earlier war.-. The Ninth Section contains financial clauses, mainly designed to put into operation the provisions of the

previous section. The Tenth Section, which is of great length and complexity, contains economic provisions, and reestablishes various non-political international treaties and conventions which, in such matters as posts and telegraphs and sanitary regulations, have been binding on civilised Powers before the war. Attached to this section is a special provision to regulate the traffic in opium add similar drugs. The Eleventh Section deals with aerial navigation. The Twelfth Section contains clauses dealing with the international control of ports, canals, rivers, and railways, with special provision foe (he Kiel Canal. The Thirteenth Section contains the Labour Convention. The Fourteenth Section contains guarantees for the execution of the Treaty. The Fifteenth Section is made up of a series of miscellaneous clauses, including the recognition of other subsequent treaties of peace, and the confirmation of Prize Court de-

(ision-. The final clauses deal with the ratification and the date of entering into force of the Treaty, both the Crenel) and Engli-h texts of which are recognised as authentic.

The preamble, which recites shortly the origin of Hie war and the application of the Germans for an armistice, enumerates the high contracting parties, represented by the 'five Great Powers■

The United States of America, the British Empire, France, Italy, and Japan. Together with Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti. The Iledjaz, Honduras, Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Serbia, Siam, TchechoSlovakia, and Uruguay on the one hand, And Germany on the other. The plenipotentiaries representing these Powers are enumerated, ‘‘who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and true form, have agreed as follows: — From the coming into force of the present treaty the state of war will terminate from that moment, and, subject to provisions of this treaty, official relations with Germany, and with each of the German States, will lie resumed by the Allied and associated Powers.”