The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-30
SIXTEEN NATIONS
ARE REPRESENTED
Committees Are Named Hav.
ing in View Closest Possible
Congregational m eri a n
Delegates On Hand
BY NEWTON c. PARK,
STAFF Correspondent International
News Service.


! Paris, Nov. 29.---Sixteen nations.
representing more than nine-tenths of
the area of the globe, Joined hands
here today at the first session OF the
inter allied conference. Promptly.
without ponp or bombast. they go;
down 20 work. Their task ID to put
| unity OF action definitely into the
drivers seat of democracys chariot
OF war.
II liz the FIRST conference Of the kind
to be formally attended by the United
States. On top OF Frances foreign
ministry's buildings. together with the
fags OF all the nations fighting the
central powers. futters "Old Glory"
Down below, In the historic Salon
de JHorlegs. the epoch-fnaklng con-
ference was opened by Premier Gle
menceau of France with a speech that
was inspiring by It's very briefness
ana precision.
C1emenceau's Speech.
The permier said:
I'm the greatest war the world
/ has known. the sentiment of the
| supreme solidarity OF our peoples
reunite as In this hour to win ON
the battlefield the rights of d hui
manitarian peace.
I'VE are all I'm accord for amy
sacrifices the allied high COM
mand may require.
1.-The high spirit antmattrg Us
must be transformed into acts.
Our watchword Is work Let us
get 70 MuFk-~
Surveying this vast, distinguished
gathering OF eminent men charged by
their cou asrie~ with the task or paw
ing the path to victory. one could
see the FIRE of enthusiasm spring into
all eyes as they beheld the venerable.
whtte-haited French premier, near
octogenar ian. define, with the ferror
OF undyirg youth. the cause and tbs
task OF democracy IN three, pithy. all
com prtssnk sentences. -
Immediately after the French
prime ministers speech the confer
ence appointed FIVE ,ramittees--on
finance: imports and transports. ar
mament. munitions and aviation; food
supplies, and blockade.
Get now7l to Work.
These committees viii report back
20 the conference when II reconvenes
In it's entirety. probably Saturday
night, They began their work imme-
diateiy after the conference took a re-
cess.
General Pcrshing arrived early at
the Hotel Criilou. Together with the
American delegates. headed by Colo
mel Edward NJ. House. he was well
coined by Premier Clemenceau, and a
general introdue ton followed.
A special military guard had been
thrown around the foreign ministry
building. Every visitor passing
through the gates in the high wall
surrounding the building was pains
takingiy scrutinized. None was per-
mitted 10 enter the building unless
he was attached to the ministry or one
OF the missions. Inside the wall a
concourss OF Iimousines was drawn
up.
French to Give Out Statements.
BY ger eral understanding all
statements regarding the conference
will be given out by the French gov
eminent.
Stephen rtthon, the new French
foreign minister, outlined at todays
session the questions that are to be
submitted the conference, tracing the
method that should he followed. The
French propositions were unani-
mousIy accepted without debate.
Diverse questions pertssntng to d.
plomhtic, military and naval problems
will be treated under the direction Of
the ministers heading the respective
departments,
Premier Lloyd-George. emerging
from the ministry after the confer
ence. consented to pose for the army
photographers. The British prime
minister then departed with Colonel
House.
General Pershing walked of with
General Sir William Robertson, the
British chief off staff. both refusing
ornohilcS