World's War Events $v Volume 3 / Beginning with the departure of the first American destroyers for service abroad in April, 1917, and closing with the treaties of peace in 1919.

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SECTION X—ECONOMIC CLAUSES

CUSTOMS

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 associated 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

Rights of ships of the Allies.

Ships of the allied and associated 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 COMPETITION

Safeguards against unfair competition.

Germany undertakes to give the trade of the allied and associated powers adequate safeguards against unfair competition, 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 associated States in respect of regional appellations of wines and spirits.

CLOSING WORDS OF THE PEACE TREATY, WITH THE SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATES, HEADED BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, LLOYD GEORGE.

SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH AFRICAN, NEW ZEALAND, AND INDIAN DELEGATES. THEN THE FRENCH, HEADED BY PREMIER CLEMENCEAU.

SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE DELEGATIONS FROM PERU, POLAND (HEADED BY PREMIER PADEREWSKI), PORTUGAL, RUMANIA, SERBIA, CZECHO-SLOVAKIA, AND URUGUAY.

SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE GERMAN DELEGATES, DR. HERMANN MULLER AND DR. BELL, ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE TREATY.

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 Smuts; Premier Massey 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

German nationality.

Germany shall impose no exceptional taxes or restriction upon the nationals of allied and associated 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 associated State.

MULTILATERAL CONVENTIONS

Postal and telegraphic conventions.

North Sea conventions.

Arrangements with various nations.

Some forty multilateral conventions are renewed between Germany and the allied and associated 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 associated 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.

BILATERAL TREATIES

Renewal of treaties.

Each allied and associated State may renew any treaty with Germany in so far as consistent with the peace treaty by giving notice within six months. Treaties entered into by Germany since August 1, 1914, with other enemy States, and before or since that date with Rumania, Russia, and governments representing parts of Russia are abrogated, and concessions granted under pressure by Russia to German subjects are annulled. The allied and associated States are to enjoy most favored nation treatment under treaties entered into by Germany and other enemy States before August 1, 1914, and under treaties entered into by Germany and neutral States during the war.

PRE-WAR DEBTS

Clearing houses for pre-war debts.

A system of clearing houses is to be created within three months, one in Germany and one in each allied and associated State which adopts the plan for the payment of pre-war debts, including those arising from contracts suspended by the war. For the adjustment of the proceeds of the liquidation of enemy property and the settlement of other obligations each participating State assumes responsibility for the payment of all debts owing by its nationals to nationals of the enemy States, except in case of pre-war insolvency of the debtor. The proceeds of the sale of private enemy property in each participating State may be used to pay the debts owed to the nationals of that State, direct payment from debtor to creditor and all communications relating thereto being prohibited. Disputes may be settled by arbitration by the courts of the debtor country, or by the mixed arbitral tribunal. Any ally or associated power may, however, decline to participate in this system by giving six months' notice.

ENEMY PROPERTY

Damages for private property seized or injured.

Germany shall restore or pay for all private enemy property seized or damaged by her, the amount of damages to be fixed by the mixed arbitral tribunal. The allied and associated States may liquidate German private property within their territories as compensation for property of their nationals not restored or paid for by Germany. For debts owed to their nationals by German nationals and for other claims against Germany, Germany is to compensate its nationals for such losses and to deliver within six months all documents relating to property held by its nationals in allied and associated States. All war legislation as to enemy property rights and interests is confirmed and all claims by Germany against the allied or associated Governments for acts under exceptional war measures abandoned.

Pre-war contracts.

Pre-war contracts between allied and associated nationals excepting the United States, Japan, and Brazil and German nationals are cancelled except for debts for accounts already performed.

AGREEMENTS

Disputes as to transfers of property already made.

For the transfer of property where the property had already passed, leases of land and houses, contracts of mortgages, pledge or lien, mining concessions, contracts with governments and insurance contracts, mixed arbitral tribunals shall be established of three members, one chosen by Germany, one by the associated States and the third by agreement, or, failing which, by the President of Switzerland. They shall have jurisdiction over all disputes as to contracts concluded before the present peace treaty.

Insurance contracts.

Fire insurance contracts are not considered dissolved by the war, even if premiums have not been paid, but lapse at the date of the first annual premium falling due three months after the peace. Life insurance contracts may be restored by payments of accumulated premiums with interest, sums falling due on such contracts during the war to be recoverable with interest. Marine insurance contracts are dissolved by the outbreak of war except where the risk insured against had already been incurred. Where the risk had not attached, premiums paid are recoverable, otherwise premiums due and sums due on losses are recoverable. Reinsurance treaties are abrogated unless invasion has made it impossible for the reinsured to find another reinsurer. Any allied or associated power, however, may cancel all the contracts running between its nationals and a German life insurance company, the latter being obligated to hand over the proportion of its assets attributable to such policies.

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

Conditions on use of German patents and copyrights.

Rights as to industrial, literary, and artistic property are re-established. The special war measures of the allied and associated powers are ratified and the right reserved to impose conditions on the use of German patents and copyrights when in the public interest. Except as between the United States and Germany, pre-war licenses and rights to sue for infringements committed during the war are cancelled.