The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-25
ENTENTE beginning
10G0NSIDER'PEAGE
Conference Now Going On
Expect to Fix Settle
ment Basis.

LONDON, April 24.-.(corespond-
ences 81 The Associated Fress)'-The
conferences Of the Allies going on in
paris aretlooked upon III well INFORM
4 dSduarters, as likely to develop means
Suresenting a united. front on many
1nestions. outside OF the settlement
81 Territory. when any real prospect
forsconcluding the war comes ~ sight.
fOnFtheir face these conferences are
fnSdiscuss trade and commercial ques'
{3ona8in{which8the Allies are mutually
inferegted.5 But those who have had
dnuchRtoido in shaping the contcrences
Eay#fheset questions really TOUGH tnc
snatterSof4 a war settlement and SUD
EeGient peace terms. and. that tue
sreneralstin the field may i'll the iirst
4fatance have to Incorporate them IN
NV preliminary arrangement leading
IipStoathe more definite protoeals anu
fraatiesSof tile civil authorities y rs
swifIi#this view, to know where lheS
ssfandaBandtt to have some common 'iNl
foSbe definitely presented trHEi nc
sye~ry2outseet, that these conferences q
~SfheEAllies are looked NpOn rs Consln-
erablyfmore than an academic discus
sionsof trade problems.
The}need Of being thus prepared ~
Ethe&outBet TO present a joint 'front.'
eyenyinEthe first negotiations on inc
Held has been made apparent ny VI"
axperfence OF France III til conclusion
at the Franco.G German peace terms.
The}treaty OF Frankfurt then made was
preceded by preliminary conferences
f0nGthesfeld. when the main lines OF
settlement were laid down. But all al
sfention was absorbed at the Time ~
StheEbig q~uestions--thc cessIon OF ~
Sace.Lorraine, the payment OF an m
gdemityla and the wtthdra wal Of the Ger
Inansa army from France. 0ther cues
tons touching the future relations o.
the@countrv In trade and otherwise
were almost overlooked in inc pres
EencesofS the main questions. hAtElhe
French have since learned that the
Germans did not overlook tnese ,hes
ser Questions. On the contrary they
had a trade formula all ready which.
was accepted without. question IN the
Observation-Disclosures. and this trade for
$nnuiaShas2bound France hand and foot
ever sirce, up to the#time Of tile war
smashed all treaties and agreements.
By9the trade formula ineeniously
presented at that time Germany was
Eiyengthe "most-favorcd nation" treat
1nents for an indefinite period In the
futire in all commercial and tariff
dealings with France. AS a rllc the
tsmost-fayored nation" treatment 10
ETantedlby France for periods OF ten
a so3that5he minimum tariff rates
maybe given to a country for rectp'
fdocal concessions granted. But by
tfhfsTflittle clause into the treaty at
$fhat5time. France found later she was
sfboundrfor all time to give Germany the
utmost tariff concession she allowed
8anyYother country. Thai is. II France.
Through the operation of her minimum
sand&maximum scale OF tariff duties.
SalIowedGthe United States a minimum
Fafa8for any particular reason or
fhrouEh3reciprocity, Germany was able
f0Nclaimb exactly the same low rate.
H1thoutEreference to any concession
ehefmisht make. This old clause, deft-
Iy#Worked into the peace settlement.
was always after regarded by France
assaHserious embarrassment In her
trade dealings with other countries,
for8eVerys time she made a favorable
arrangement with an outside country.
Germany got the same thing.
ThereEis no purpose that the Allies
3RhallEbeEtaken unaware in the adjust
mentEofthe present war as France was
fnEtheE former war, and that is one Of
FtheFmain reasons the Allies are fully
conVasing their trade interests at the
Parisfconferences Out Of 1t a pretty
misunderstanding is expected Of just
what united attitude the Allies will
{takefonltrade questions, from the very
outset of peace preliminaries. even
gon@the field it that be necessary to
neutrality-suspicious. in the final adjust,
ment