18. TH,E PEACE TREATIES. On 7 May 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was handed to Count von Brocicdorff-Rantzatt. the chief of the German plenipotentiaries. During the weeks of negotiation that followed many minor changes were made in the treaty terms and the Polish section was entirely rewritten. The complete and final text of the treaty as signed by the peace plenipotentiaries of Gertnany and of 26 Allied and Assothated Powers on 28 _lune 1919 is given below. This text has been set from one of the printed copies issued by the Peace Conference. The copy which the plenipotenti aries signed was bound in morocco, sealed anti deposited in the archives of the French Republic at Paris, A few exceptions must be noted among the delegates named in the preamble. China's delegates refused to sign because of the Shantung award by the Peace Conference to Japan, while the Orlando ministry was over thrown during the deliberations of the Con ference and Italy's signers were led by the Foreign Minister of the new cabinet, Tittoni. On the German side, the Brockdorff delegation withdrew and Dr. Hermann Miiller and Dr, Johannes Bell signed for Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles could not become effective until at least three of the principal Allied and Associated Posvers had ratified it in addition to Germany. Great Britain ratified the treaty 31 July 1919 and Belgium followed on 8 August. Belgium, however, was not one of ((the Principal Allied and Associated Pow ers?) France ratified the treaty 13 Oct. 1919 and the king of Italy signed a Decree of Rati fication 7 Oct. 1919. The treaty went into im mediate effect in France and was followed by the retnoval of all war restrictions in that coun try and in Algeria. Canada ratified the treaty 14 September, and China, akhough unable to ratify because of her refusal to sign at Versailles, de clared her adherence formally on 24 Sept. 191% to all the treaty provisions except those concern ing Shantung, and declared the state of war with Gennany at an end. New Zealand ratified the treaty- 2 Sept. 1919; the Union of South Africa 12 September and Australia on 2 Oct.
1919. Japan ratified the treaty 30 Oct. 1919 and Czechoslovakia ratified both the German and Austrian treaties 7 Nov. 1919.
On 10 July 1919 President Wilson laid the Treaty of Versailles before the Senate of the United States. Four months of bitter debate ensued, during which the Republican majority, led by Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, strove to amend or modify the treaty and the Demo cratic minority tried to have it ratified intact. All amendments were defeated and a real bat tie developed over the adoption of 14 qualify ing reservations reported by the Foreign Rela tions Committee on 7 Nov. 1919. The first test of strength came on the preamble, which re quired the written assent of three of the Allies to the American reservations. This preamble was adopted by a vote of 48 to 40 . On 10 Nov. 1919 began the debate on the principal reservation— that regarding Article X of the treaty. The ratifying resolution offered by Senator Lodge was as follows: Resolved (two-thirds of the senators present con curring therein), That the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of the Treaty of Peace with Ger many concluded at Versailles on the 28th day of June, [silo, subject to the following reservations and under standings, which are hereby made a part and condi tion of this resolution of ratification, which ratification is not to talce effect or bind the United States until the said reservations and understandings adopted by the Senate have been accepted by an exchange of notes as a part and a condition of this resolution of ratitication by at least three of the four principal alli:d and associated powers, to wit, (;reat Britain, France, Italy and Laren: z. The United States so understands and construes Article I that ha case of notice of withdrawal from the League of Nations, as provided in said article, the tfnited States shall be the sole judge as to whether all its international obligations and all its obligations under the said covenant have been fulfilled, and notice of withdrawal by the United States may be given by a concurrent resolution of the Congress of the United States.