An Introduction to the Peace Treaties

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1920 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES The Preamble of the Treaty states that the United States of America, the British Empire, France, Italy, and Japan, which powers are described as the Principal Allied and Associated Powers, together with Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, the Hedjaz, Honduras, Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, the Serb-Croat-Slovene State, Siam, Czecho-Slovakia, and Uruguay, of the one part, and Germany of the other part, desiring to end the war originated by Austria-Hungary and Germany, in order to replace it by a firm, just, and durable peace, have agreed on the present Treaty. PART I THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS At the forefront of the Treaty is the Covenant of the League of Nations. In a very real sense this represents the culmination of centuries of modern history. It is true that, since the Middle Ages, Europe and the parts of the world under European influence have increasingly organized into national states, whose rivalries have tended against co-operation and harmony. On the other hand there have been growing indications that the process of integration which has built the national states out of smaller units, often hostile at first, might in time lead to some more inclusive form of interstate organization. Similarly the hope has grown that as processes of law have replaced blood-feud and duel and private war within the several states, so there might be substituted processes of law and reason for war between states. The concert of Europe, and more particularly the concert of the great powers, has existed in a more or less vague form for over a century. Its object has been to keep the peace, and to provide for matters of common concern. Although it has bee...