World's War Events Volume III Part 46

[Sidenote: Belgian works of art.]

In addition to the above Germany is to hand over to Belgium wings, now in Berlin, belonging to the altar piece of "The Adoration of the Lamb,"

by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, the center of which is now in the Church of St. Bavon at Ghent, and the wings, now in Berlin and Munich, of the altar piece of "The Last Supper," by Dirk Bouts, the center of which belongs to the Church of St. Peter at Louvain.

FINANCE

[Sidenote: The pre-war debts of Alsace.]

[Sidenote: German debts not to be a.s.sumed by mandatory powers.]

Powers to which German territory is ceded will a.s.sume a certain portion of the German pre-war debt, the amount to be fixed by the Reparations Commission on the basis of the ratio between the revenue and of the ceded territory and Germany's total revenues for the three years preceding the war. In view, however, of the special circ.u.mstances under which Alsace-Lorraine was separated from France in 1871, when Germany refused to accept any part of the French public debt, France will not a.s.sume any part of Germany's pre-war debt there, nor will Poland share in certain German debts incurred for the oppression of Poland. If the value of the German public property in ceded territory exceeds the amount of debt a.s.sumed, the States to which property is ceded will give credit on reparation for the excess, with the exception of Alsace-Lorraine. Mandatory powers will not a.s.sume any German debts or give any credit for German Government property. Germany renounces all right of representation on, or control of, State banks, commissions, or other similar international financial and economic organizations.

[Sidenote: Germany to pay cost of armies of occupation.]

Germany is required to pay the total cost of the armies of occupation from the date of the armistice as long as they are maintained in German territory, this cost to be a first charge on her resources. The cost of reparation is the next charge, after making such provisions for payments for imports as the Allies may deem necessary.

[Sidenote: Funds deposited by Turkey and Austria-Hungary.]

Germany is to deliver to the allied and a.s.sociated powers all sums deposited in Germany by Turkey and Austria-Hungary in connection with the financial support extended by her to them during the war, and to transfer to the Allies all claims against Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, or Turkey in connection with agreements made during the war. Germany confirms the renunciation of the Treaties of Bucharest and Brest-Litovsk.

[Sidenote: Public utilities in ceded territories.]

[Sidenote: Brazilian coffee to be paid for.]

On the request of the Reparations Commission, Germany will expropriate any rights or interests of her nationals in public utilities in ceded territories or those administered by mandatories, and in Turkey, China, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria, and transfer them to the Reparations Commission, which will credit her with their value. Germany guarantees to repay to Brazil the fund arising from the sale of Sao Paulo coffee which she refused to allow Brazil to withdraw from Germany.

SECTION IX

OPIUM

[Sidenote: Convention on opium to be brought into force.]

The contracting powers agree, whether or not they have signed and ratified the opium convention of January 23, 1912, or signed the special protocol opened at The Hague in accordance with resolutions adopted by the third opium conference in 1914, to bring the said convention into force by enacting within twelve months of the peace the necessary legislation.

RELIGIOUS MISSIONS

[Sidenote: To continue their work.]

The allied and a.s.sociated powers agree the properties of religious missions in territories belonging or ceded to them shall continue in their work under the control of the powers, Germany renouncing all claims in their behalf.

SECTION X--ECONOMIC CLAUSES

CUSTOMS

[Sidenote: German tariff to be regulated for five years.]

For a period of six months Germany shall impose no tariff duties higher than the lowest in force in 1914, and for certain agricultural products, wines, vegetable oils, artificial silk, and washed or scoured wool this restriction obtains for two and a half years more. For five years, unless further extended by the League of Nations, Germany must give most favored nation treatment to the allied and a.s.sociated powers. She shall impose no customs tariff for five years on goods originating in Alsace-Lorraine, and for three years on goods originating in former German territory ceded to Poland with the right of observation of a similar exception for Luxemburg.

SHIPPING

[Sidenote: Rights of ships of the Allies.]

Ships of the allied and a.s.sociated powers shall for five years and thereafter under condition of reciprocity, unless the League of Nations otherwise decides, enjoy the same rights in German ports as German vessels, and have most favored nation treatment in fishing, coasting trade, and towage even in territorial waters. Ships of a country having no seacoast may be registered at some one place within its territory.

UNFAIR COMPEt.i.tION

[Sidenote: Safeguards against unfair compet.i.tion.]

Germany undertakes to give the trade of the allied and a.s.sociated powers adequate safeguards against unfair compet.i.tion, and in particular to suppress the use of false wrappings and markings, and on condition of reciprocity to respect the laws and judicial decisions of allied and a.s.sociated States in respect of regional appellations of wines and spirits.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CLOSING WORDS OF THE PEACE TREATY, WITH THE SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATES, HEADED BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, LLOYD GEORGE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH AFRICAN, NEW ZEALAND, AND INDIAN DELEGATES. THEN THE FRENCH, HEADED BY PREMIER CLEMENCEAU.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE DELEGATIONS FROM PERU, POLAND (HEADED BY PREMIER PADEREWSKI), PORTUGAL, RUMANIA, SERBIA, CZECHO-SLOVAKIA, AND URUGUAY.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE GERMAN DELEGATES, DR. HERMANN MULLER AND DR. BELL, ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE TREATY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The signatures of the American delegates--President Wilson, Secretary of State Lansing, Mr. Henry White, Colonel House, and General Bliss--come first after the closing words of the Treaty of Peace (pages 213 and 214); then the names of the British delegates--Prime Minister Lloyd George, Mr. Bonar Law, Lord Milner, Mr. Balfour, and Mr.

Barnes (page 214); the Canadians, Minister of Justice Doherty and Minister of Customs Sifton; the Australians, Premier Hughes and Mr.

Cook; the South Africans, Premier Botha and General s.m.u.ts; Premier Ma.s.sey of New Zealand; Mr. Montagu, Secretary of State for India, and Maharajah Ganga Singh for India (pages 215 and 216). Then come the French--Premier Clemenceau, whose signature is third from the top on page 216, M. Pichon, M. Klotz, M. Tardieu, and M. Cambon (page 216). The name of Premier Paderewski of Poland is the second from the top on page 221.]

TREATMENT OF NATIONALS

[Sidenote: German nationality.]

Germany shall impose no exceptional taxes or restriction upon the nationals of allied and a.s.sociated States for a period of five years and, unless the League of Nations acts, for an additional five years German nationality shall not continue to attach to a person who has become a national of an allied or a.s.sociated State.

MULTILATERAL CONVENTIONS

[Sidenote: Postal and telegraphic conventions.]

[Sidenote: North Sea conventions.]

[Sidenote: Arrangements with various nations.]

Some forty multilateral conventions are renewed between Germany and the allied and a.s.sociated powers, but special conditions are attached to Germany's readmission to several. As to postal and telegraphic conventions Germany must not refuse to make reciprocal agreements with the new States. She must agree as respects the radio-telegraphic convention to provisional rules to be communicated to her, and adhere to the new convention when formulated. In the North Sea fisheries and North Sea liquor traffic convention, rights of inspection and police over a.s.sociated fishing boats shall be exercised for at least five years only by vessels of these powers. As to the international railway union she shall adhere to the new convention when formulated. China, as to the Chinese customs tariff arrangement of 1905 regarding Whangpoo, and the Boxer indemnity of 1901; France, Portugal, and Rumania, as to The Hague Convention of 1903, relating to civil procedure, and Great Britain and the United States as to Article III. or the Samoan Treaty of 1899, are relieved of all obligations toward Germany.