Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-23
Paris Conferences Virtually
Complete "Green Table"
PreIiminaries.
HOOVER LIKELY TO TAKE
CHARGE OF FOOD RELIEF
Mr., Wilson's Address Recalls
Bryan Plan for Arbitration
Treaties.

PARIS, December % (by the Asso-
ciated Press) Wilson's
conferences today and tomorrow will
virtually complete the preliminaries
he is expected to dispose of before go
ing to England. They probably will
lay the principal part of the ground
work for the actual peace conference.
Mr.. Wilson considers the most
pressing of all problems before the
entente nations in fair way toward
being solved. This is the question of
supplying food to the starving peo-
pies Of liberated countries. 1t now
seems probable that the work will be
handled principally by the United
States, through Herbert c. Hoover,
American food administrator. 1t has
been made plain to the entente ma
tions that the United States has no
wish to claim entire credit for the
work of relief in the minds of the
people who are to be fed. and a salts
factory understanding appears to be
in sight. Mr.. Hoover will confer with
the President again today.
Would Delay Consideration.
Participation by the United States
in various councils that have been
handling food questions. matters of
gradually wound up, as American
officials are trending toward the
opinion that these are proper subjects
for the consideration of a league of
nations or at least of preliminary
organizations which may precede it.
the subject close study and have been
following the conferences with en-
tente representatives, say they would
not be surprised II the real founda-
DO laid in cooperative arrangements
between the United States and the
allies for handling these fundamental
questions:
Mr. wilson's address at the sor-
bor,ne on Saturday, in which he again
defined his conception Of league Of
nations, attracted closest attention
from all public mem here. This IL
especially true OF his statement tnat
the war could never have occurred II
the central powers had discussed It
for a fortnight, and certainly not II
they had been forced to talk matters
over for more than year.
Recalls Bryan's Plan.
The Presidents address has re-
called that. the United States, While
William Jennings Bryan was Secre-
taFy OF state. neSOIldIeu uoASh a..
bitration treaties. one of them with
Great Britain. These treaties bound
their signatories to discuss their con-
troyersies for at least year before
proceeding to q declaration OF war.
An attempt was made to negotiate
such a treaty with Germany. but the
Berlin government refused to enter
tain it. 1t is also recalled the same
idea was once expressed in plan for
preserving peace put forward by a
group headed by Viscount James
Bryce former British ambassador to
the United States.
There Is no official authority for the
statement that Mr.. Wilson is thinking
of the Bryan plan as one Of the ele-
ments In the proposed machinery for
preserving world peace, but this refer
ence to the plan In his Sorbonne
speech has set public men to talking.
No announcement has been made as
to how far the conferences between
Mr.. Wilson, Premier Clemenceau, Pre-
mier Orlando and Foreign Minister
Sonnino have gone. but French public
men have declared that their pre-
nier's talks with the President were
entirely satisfactory. It Is also be-
lieved that Mr.. Wilson has made sub
stantial progress In his conferences
1<1