The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-26
THREE WEEKS
MORE BEFORE
PEACE PARLEY
Test to Be Applied to Dele
gates Still Is Unde-
cided.
AWAIT WILSON'S RETURN
No Announcement Expected
Until Presidents London
Visit Is Ended.
81 TIC Associattd Press.

PARIS, Dec. 25.--More than three
weeks probably will eiapse before the
general peace conference assemblies.
1t is unlikely that any official state
ment will be issued in the meantime
concerning the number of Govern
ments to be represented or the tests
to be applied to determine the right
OF applicants to participate.
Technical experts attached to the
delegations of the principal Powers
already have given much study to this
subject. If negotiations to reach an
agreement on this point have not been
undertaken already it is certain they
will be Immediately after President
Wilson's return from London.
Notwithstanding the indisposition
of the British government to inject
business into Mr.. Wilson's visit It Is
possible that in his conferences with
Premier Lloyd George and Foreign
Minister Balfour the foundation may
be laid for settlement Of the question
OF representation. which Mr.. Wilson
probably has discussed with Premier
Clemenceau.
How Conference VIII start.
Conditions which will confront the
peace conference when 1t opens will
not be unlike those marking the OPEN
ing OF new Congress in the United
states or a national convention. In
the first place, the House clerk deter
mines the tentative membership and
in the second the committee on Gre
dentials prepares a tentative list OF
delegates. At the peace conference
delegates must be pre- pared to present
adequate credentials from their Legis-
( lature. King. President or other exec
utive authority.
II is considered probable that several
countries on the tentative list WIN he
closely restricted at the beginning,
when broad questions Of policy viii be
outlined. But additions to the list of
delegates may be made later when the
conference gets down 10 details and
general principles. Still later, another
class of nations may be admitted. in
cludlns the Central Powers, to lay the
foundations for the formal signing of
peace treaties.
Large Powers VIII Control.
Theoretically these questions are
subject TO mutual examination and
challenge in case OF doubt, but actu-
ally in the forthcoming conference
the United States. Great Britain,
France, Italy and later, perhaps, Bel
GUM. by reason of sentimental con-
siderations, probably will reach an un-
derstanding as TO the admission of
delegates.
The neutral Powers probably will be
allowed to participate when the stage
is reached where 1t is desirable there
should be a worldwide adoption of the
plans prepared at the preliminary ses-
sions for the permanent settlement Of
war issues and the assurance Of per-
manent peace.
There already are indications that
there will be applications from nu-
merous small States, some of them
existing before the war and others
resulting from the collapse of Russia
and the division of Austria and Tur-
| key In this category are the Zion
lists of Palestine. Arabs, Armenians
Georgians and small GovernUents in
Mesopotamia, which the British and
French Governments already have
promised recognition or protection.
! The Czecho- Slovak republic already
has been recognized by most of tho
! nations of the Entente and by the
/ United States. Siberia, Finland. the
Ukraine, Esthonia and numerous other
/ fragments of Russia are seeking
recognition.
/ It Is expected the leading Powers
will reach a preliminary agreement
regarding the disposition TO be made
( Of these claimants, but this will be
; subject to the approval of the general
conference when it is assembled
II was pointed out today that these
I complexities of preliminary organiza
/ tion are almost Identical with those
which confronted the Vienna Congress
and which held off the actual assem-
bling OF that body for many weeks.