Kelly Miller's History of the World War for Human Rights Part 77

GERMAN RIVERS INTERNATIONALIZED

"The Elbe from the junction of the Vltava, the Vitava from Prague, the Oder from Oppa, the Niemen from Grodno, and the Danube from Ulm are declared international, together with their connections. The riparian states must ensure good conditions of navigation within their territories unless a special organization exists therefor. Otherwise appeal may be had to a special tribunal of the league of nations, which also may arrange for a general international waterways convention.

"The Elbe and the Oder are to be placed under international commissions to meet within three months, that for the Elbe composed of four representatives of Germany, two from Czecho-Slovakia, and one each from Great Britain, France, Italy, and Belgium, and that for the Oder composed of one each from Poland, Russia, Czecho-Slovakia, Great Britain, France, Denmark, and Sweden.

"If any riparian state on the Niemen should so request of the league of nations a similar commission shall be established there. These commissions shall, upon request of any riparian state, meet within three months to revise existing international agreement.

CONTROL OF THE DANUBE

"The European Danube commission rea.s.sumes its pre-war powers, for the time being, with representatives of only Great Britain, Italy, and Roumania. The upper Danube is to be administered by a new international commission until a definitive state be drawn up at a conference of the powers nominated by the allied and a.s.sociated governments within one year after the peace.

"The enemy governments shall make full reparations for all war damages caused to the European commission; shall cede their river facilities in surrendered territory, and give Czecho-Slovakia, Serbia, and Roumania any rights necessary on their sh.o.r.es for carrying out improvements in navigation.

FRANCE, BELGIUM AND THE RHINE

"The Rhine is placed under the central commission to meet at Strasbourg within six months after the peace and to be composed of four representatives of France, which shall in addition select the president; four of Germany, and two each of Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

"Belgium is to be permitted to build a deep draft Rhine-Meuse ca.n.a.l if she so desires within twenty-five years, in which case Germany must construct the part within her territory on plans drawn by Belgium; similarly, the interested allied governments may construct a Rhine-Meuse ca.n.a.l, both, if constructed, to come under the competent international commission.

"Germany must give France on the course of the Rhine included between the two extreme points of her frontiers all rights to take water to feed ca.n.a.ls, while herself agreeing not to make ca.n.a.ls on the right bank opposite France. She must also hand over to France all her drafts and designs for this part of the river.

THE KIEL Ca.n.a.l INTERNATIONALIZED

"The Kiel ca.n.a.l is to remain free and open to war and merchant s.h.i.+ps of all nations at peace with Germany. Goods and s.h.i.+ps of all states are to be treated on terms of absolute equality, and no taxes to be imposed beyond those necessary for upkeep and improvement for which Germany is responsible.

"In case of violation of or disagreement as to these provisions, any state may appeal to the league of nations, and may demand the appointment of an international commission. For preliminary hearing of complaints Germany shall establish a local authority at Kiel.

THE TERMS NOT TO BE MODIFIED

"Germany agrees to recognize the full validity of the treaties of peace and additional conventions to be concluded by the allied and a.s.sociated powers with the powers allied with Germany; to agree to the decisions to be taken as to the territories of Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, and to recognize the new states in the frontiers to be fixed for them.

"Germany agrees not to put forward any pecuniary claims against any allied or a.s.sociated power signing the present treaty based on events previous to the coming into force of the treaty.

"Germany accepts all decrees as to German s.h.i.+ps and goods made by any allied or a.s.sociated prize court. The allies reserve the right to examine all decisions of German prize courts. The present treaty, of which the French and British texts are both authentic, shall be ratified and the depositions of ratifications made in Paris as soon as possible.

The treaty is to become effective in all respects for each power on the date of deposition of its ratification.

THE ALLIES TAKE NO RISKS

"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 a.s.sociated troops for 15 years. If the conditions are faithfully carried out by Germany, certain districts, including the bridgehead of Cologne, will be evacuated at the expiration of five years. Certain other districts, including the bridgehead of Coblenz and the territories nearest the Belgian frontier will be evacuated after ten years, and the remainder, including the bridgehead of Mainz, will be evacuated after 15 years. In case the inter-allied reparation commission finds that Germany has failed to observe the whole or part of her obligations, either during the occupation or after the 15 years have expired, the whole or part of the areas specified will be reoccupied immediately. If before the expiration of the 15 years Germany complies with all the treaty understandings, the occupying forces will be withdrawn immediately."

These are the essential features of the voluminous peace treaty presented to the German delegates at Versailles May 7, 1919. There was of course a storm of protest from all cla.s.ses of German citizens at what they considered the excessive severity of the terms. Had the fortunes of war been different we would have seen far more stringent terms imposed on Great Britain and France and our own country would sooner or later have met equally hard terms. President Wilson justly summed up the treaty as "Severe but just."

After weeks of delay, the exchange of notes between the Allied statesmen and the German delegates, in a vain endeavor on the part of Germany to secure modification of the terms--efforts resulting in only trifling changes--the treaty was signed by delegates from all the Allied powers (except China) and Germany, June 28, 1919, five years to a day after the a.s.sa.s.sination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand at Serajevo. The five years that had intervened const.i.tute the most memorable period of time in history. Probably no equal term of years had been attended with such an appalling loss of life, had been more heavily freighted with woe, had witnessed such a tremendous outpouring of blood and treasure as the five years ended with the signing of the treaty.

The treaty was signed in the celebrated Hall of Mirrors in the wonderful palace of Versailles, France. This hall is intimately connected with great events in the history of France, of Germany, and now of the world.

Here was signed the treaty putting an end to the Franco-German war, here the German empire was inaugurated and William I crowned emperor, here by this treaty was the work of Bismarck completely undone and the const.i.tution of a proposed League of Nations set forth, one of the greatest events in the history of the world.

CONDENSED CHRONOLOGY OF THE WAR

1914.

June 28--Murder at Serajevo of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand.

July 23--Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia.

July 28--Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

July 31--General mobilization in Russia. "State of war" declared in Germany.

Aug. 1--Germany declared war on Russia and invaded Luxemburg.

Aug. 2--German ultimatum to Belgium, demanding free pa.s.sage across Belgium.

Aug. 3--Germany declares war on France.

Aug. 4--War declared by Great Britain on Germany.

Aug. 4--President Wilson proclaimed neutrality of United States.

Aug. 4-26--Belgium overrun: Liege occupied (Aug. 9); Brussels (Aug. 20); Namur (Aug. 24).

Aug. 6--Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.

Aug. 10--France declares war on Austria-Hungary.

Aug. 12--Great Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary.

Aug. 16--British expeditionary force landed in France.

Aug. 18--Russia completes mobilization and invades East Prussia.

Aug. 21-23--Battle of Mons-Charleroi. Dogged retreat of French and British in the face of the German invasion.

Aug. 23--Tsingtau bombarded by j.a.panese.

Aug. 25-Dec. 15--Russians overrun Galicia. Lemberg taken (Sept. 2); Przemysl first attacked (Sept. 16); siege broken (Oct. 12-Nov. 12). Fall of Przemysl (Mar. 17, 1915). Dec. 4, Russians 3-1/2 miles from Cracow.

Aug. 26--Germans destroy Louvain.

Aug. 26--Allies conquer Togoland, in Africa.