It is too manifest to require proof or argument to support it.

It is equally true, I regret to say, that President Wilson was chiefly responsible for this.
If he had not insisted that a complete and detailed plan for the League should be part of the treaty negotiated at Paris, and if he had not also insisted that the Covenant be taken up and settled in terms before other matters were considered, a preliminary treaty of peace would in all probability have been signed, ratified, and in effect during April, 1919.
Whatever evils resulted from the failure of the Paris Conference to negotiate promptly a preliminary treaty--and it must be admitted they were not a few--must be credited to those who caused the delay.

The personal interviews and secret conclaves before the Commission on the League of Nations met occupied a month and a half.

Practically another half month was consumed in sessions of the Commission.

The month following was spent by President Wilson on his visit to the United States explaining the reported Covenant and listening to criticisms.
While much was done during his absence toward the settlement of numerous questions, final decision in every case awaited his return to Paris.
After his arrival the Commission on the League renewed its sittings to consider amendments to its report, and it required over a month to put it in final form for adoption; but during this latter period much time was given to the actual terms of peace, which on account of the delay caused in attempting to perfect the Covenant had taken the form of a definitive rather than a preliminary treaty.
It is conservative to say that between two and three months were spent in the drafting of a document which in the end was rejected by the Senate of the United States and was responsible for the non-ratification of the Treaty of Versailles.