The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-04-19
A GREAT WAR COUNCIL
To be Held in Washington at an Early Day

WASHINGTON, April H. Assembly in
Washington within a lew weeks of
great international war council was fore
Swallowed by an announcement from the
State department today that a British
commission, headed by Arthur j. Bal
four, minister OF foreign affairs in Eng
land, Is expected to arrive within 10 DAYS
to discuss with the government here
questions connected with the policy of
the war
ln addition to the foreign minister, the
commission will include Admiral de Chair
of the British navy; Gen. Bridges of the
army, and the governor of the Bank of
England, attended by a numerous staff.
This was as far as the announcement
maze by the State department goes, but
it was learned authorita lively that a
French commission composed of officials
and officers equally as distinguished as
the British representatives will also be
in Washington about the same time.
This commission will be headed by M.
Vivian, at present minister of Justice in
the French cabinet and formerly prem
Ter.
1t is not known definitely whether any
of the other allied powers will send com
mlssioners to Washington, but it is as
sumed that owing to the difficulties in
passage and the probable delay, the in
terests of these governments will be
confided to their resident ambassadors.
The conference is stated to have been
sought by the Allied leaders themselves
in order to discuss every phi ,se of the
war No attempt will be made to 90 in
to details or technical considerations, as
the general policies involved are too STU
m nf 80
the men sent, particularly Foreign Sec
rotary Balfour, who is remembered here
most warmly for his earnest endorse
ment of President Wilson's plan for
world federation to insure peace, and
Minister of Justice Viviani, one of the
first half dozen statesmen of France, is
very gratifying to officials
The greatest problem before the con-
ference is stated to be the maintenance
of the flow of American munitions and
food supplies to Europe. This will be
sought first by naval cooperation to
fight the German submarine, second BY
construction of huge fleet of wooden
merchantmen to negative its destruc-
tiveness, and third, by ways and means to
Increase American manufacture and the
Allies ability to pay for the products.
Naval cooperation is understood to
contemplate the policing of all North
and South American waters by the
American navy allowing the release of
the British and French vessels engaged
in that work. and the safeguarding by
American ships of at least part of the
sea lane to Europe. Whether the latter
will necessitate the actual sending of
American war craft to the other side has
not been announced, but if it does ar
engagements already have been made to
| offer the port of Brest, in France, as an
American naval base.
The military participation of the Unit
ed States also probably will be discussed
in broad terms, though ii is realized on
all sides that this country will not at.
tempt to send an army to Europe for the
present. The military situation of this
country is well understood by officials
abroad. There is, however, an intense
desire on the part of the general public
in the Entente countries TO see small
division of American troops at the front