Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-16
U.S. READY FOR Big
COUNCIL OF WAR
Details for Great Conference
With Anglo-French Dele
gates Completed
TO DISCUSS PEACE TERMS
WASHINGTON, Apr

WASHINtT1ON, ApIll i''
Details of what will be the most mo-
mentous international war council In whlch
the United States Government ever par
| tcipated were completed today. Council
! sessions attended by President Wilson, VIII
begin Wednesday.
Late this afternoon the White House
and the state, War and Navy Depart :
ments clamped down the secrecy lid as 10
the time and place of arrival OF Baltour'
IL was intmated that there had been Il
change OF program since earlier informal
tion to the effect that Balfour would reacn
New York at 5 80 this afternoon. Pressed
for details, one official said this atter-
noon the commission would arrive some
where within at least thirty-six hours "i
Washington this evening"
The French commissioners are expected
to be here some time Wednesday, althoush
the exact time of their arrival is not known
Declaration that the United States never
will make permanent peace with the GOV
ernment OF Germany "as at present con-
stituted" will follow the war council oH''
cials intimated today
The delegates to this council Will
represent all of the Entente Powers whosc
desires will count in the making OF peace
pact They know exactly the maximum
and the minimum terms upon which their
nations will consider the ending of the war.
And it is unanimously agreed among OIL
cials who are In "A position to know all OF
the facts that the irreduclble minimum or
all involves the destruction of the Prus;
sian autocracy and substitution therefor in
Germany and Austro-Hungary of govern
ment resting on the consent of the gov
erned as outlined by President Wilson In
his message to Congress calling for the
declaration OF a state OF war.
with peace rumors industriously circu-
lated in every quarter Of the world entirely
through German agencies. officials realize
that the success Of the Entente cause VIII
depend On nothing being permitted to be-
cloud the issues so far as tho United states
Is concerned.
German newspapers are telling the GER
man peoples that the real reason the
United states is at war is because the
nation wants to continue its garnering of
the dollars" and they promise an "ade-
quate indemnity when the United states
is crushed"
Austro- Hungarian newspapers are tell
ing their people that the Russian revolution
spells Teutonic success and that Russian
republic is impossible, They also assert
that the United States is fighting for the
dollars that are in It,
NOT TO BE DECEIVED
1t is because all this is known to the
Administration that President Wilson, in
his remarkable address to the people issued
last night, appealing to every American
man. woman and child to speak, act and
serve together to meet the nations SUI
preme test" emphasized once again the
fact that the United States was at war
fighting for what we believe and wish to
be the rights of mankind and for the fu.
ture peace and security of the world" That
will be the slogan of the representatives
of the United States who Will have seats
at the coming council table. And ii Is
expected that this council will speak in
terms that cannot he misunderstood by the
German people themselves and their allies
who are acting in concert now only be-
cause of the influence German agents within
their boundaries exert
LENGTHY CONFERENCE
The committee on welcome which will
greet Foreign Minister Balfour of England,
Vivani, of France; General Joffre and the
other illustrous members of tile joint COM
mission that will meet here shortly has
already reached New York This commit
tee comprises Third Assistant Secretary of
state Breckenridge Long, who represents
the state Department Rear Admiral
Fletcher and Commander +. l.. Sellers, of
the navy; Colonel Robert T.. l.. Niche
Lieutenant Colonel Spencer Cosby and Cap
tain John c. Queckemeyer, of the army.
When the main conference ends represen-
tatives of all of the Entente Powers will
be left here to remain for the period of the
war. They will act in manner similar
to and will have the same status as the
American commissions which are shortly
to be sent to London, Paris. Rome and Pet
rograd to represent the United States.