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 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
[Sidenote: 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
[Sidenote: 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.
[Illustration: CLOSING WORDS OF THE PEACE TREATY, WITH THE SIGNATURES
AND SEALS OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATES, HEADED BY THE BRITISH PRIME
MINISTER, LLOYD GEORGE.]
[Illustration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH
AFRICAN, NEW ZEALAND, AND INDIAN DELEGATES. THEN THE FRENCH, HEADED BY
PREMIER CLEMENCEAU.]
[Illustration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE DELEGATIONS FROM PERU, POLAND
(HEADED BY PREMIER PADEREWSKI), PORTUGAL, RUMANIA, SERBIA,
CZECHO-SLOVAKIA, AND URUGUAY.]
[Illustration: SIGNATURES AND SEALS OF THE GERMAN DELEGATES, DR. HERMANN
MULLER AND DR. BELL, ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE TREATY]
[Illustration: 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
[Sidenote: 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
[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 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
[Sidenote: 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
[Sidenote: 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
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: 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
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: 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
[Sidenote: 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.