The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-11-14
WILSON MAY CO
TOEUROPE FOR
PEACE MEETING
Some Question as to His Duty
In Matter
MANY RISKS INVOLVED
Will Take Long Time to Readjust
War conditions-congress May
Need President Here.

Washington, Nov. 13.-President
Wilson was said today to have given
no indication as TO how he regards
the suggestion from high sources in
Europe that he attend the great con-
ference which is to re-establish the
peace OF a war torn world.
Most of the President advisers
are understood to consider that ac-
ceptance of the invitations would in
yolve needless risk and would serve
no purpose that could not be accom-
plished through the delegates who will
be appointed to represent the Ameri-
can government and who will be in
constant communication with Washing
ton.
Should the President decide to at
tend the conference-and some OF
those usually we'll informed say he
has an open mind on the subject
that fact would not mean, in the be-
lief here, that Secretary Lansing
would not be member of the Ameri-
can delegation. 1t was said that up
on Mr.. Lansing would fall much of the
weight of the heavy tasks connected
with American participation in the
conference, not only by virtue of his
high rank, but also because of his
wide experience in other international
conferences and arbitrations
The proposal Of DR.. Solf, the Ger
man foreign secretary for a preIimi
nary peace conference. has not reach
ed Washington in official form tonight
but it is understood that there Is lit
tie probability of it's acceptance Such
conference is regarded here as nn
necessary and as likely to uselessly
complicate the work of the genera
conference when II is held.
Obviously Dr. Soils PROPOSAL il
based upon the urgent need of Ger
many for food and other supplies, but
II is pointed out that these conditions
wiz be realt with by the United
States and the allies in advance of the
peace conference under the genera
pledges contained in the armistict
{ and given by the supreme war council
at Versailles.
In some quarters here it is suspect
ed that Dr. Solf's real purpose is t
have the preliminary conference dis
pose of political matters, such as thu
future of the German colonies ant
trade relations between the centra
powers and the nations with which
they had been at war. in the hope o
being I BILE to thus speedily re-estab
lish German foreign trade.
All of the old treaties of amt.
and commerce under which interna
tional trade has been conducted be
tween the warning nations automati
cally has been destroyed by the waT
and 1t will be necessary to provide
whole new fabric of trade treaties.
The peace conference may signif.
its own ideas as to how these shal
be framed, but it will remain for tn
individual nations to give these idea
concrete form in special treaties.
The supreme war council in Vel
sailles did more than consider tn
subject OF armistices, and it is nov
learned that for long time precedin
the final collapse of the central pow
ers much study and attention was giN
en- to the subject of final peace in a
Of its ratifications. Therefore. whe
the peace conference meets IL wi
find before 1t a fairly well digeste
program for the conduct of its bus
ness, calculated to keep the session
we'll within bounds, not only in tn
matter of expenditure of time. but a
so in the range of subjects to be di
cussed
Owing to the number Of question
to be considered and the amount {
original investigation required to a
range final settlements Of many
them, 1t is expected that soon afte
convening the peace conference wi
; divide the delegates into number {
subcommittee to deal with differeI
! branches of the work. and It is r
garded here as certain that il will pI
vide for the appointment of perm
, nent commissions to sit after final a
iournment of the conference to pc
form the score of things that must
done to Sc the commercial and econ
: mic machinery of the world at wol
again
s A long time. not months, but year
viii be required to readjust this m
/. chinecy One high official said
4 day it was safe rule based on hi
/. tory to assume that it will requi
, twice as much time to get out Of Il
q war as It did to 20 through with it..