The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-02
Question Of Mathematics
to Be Figured by
Subordinates.
NO LAMENTATIONS
Freedom of Seas the Mos
Serious Problem Be-
fore the High
Conferees.

Washington Dec l.--Impressions
that there will be any fatal friction
between any of the allies or between
any OF the allies and the United States
at the peace table are not held in any
authoritative quarters in Washington.
On the eve OF the presidents ap-
pcarance before congress 1t In stated
that the allied prefnier's are in daily
discussion Of the two big principles
which are TO be settled on or he In
process of certain settlement before
President Wilson leaves the peace
conference, 1T Is pointed out today
that President Wilson paved the way
for amicahle adjustments OF certainly
one of the big questions when he ad-
vised the allies that he coneormed to
the principle that there should be
indsmnities. 1t is said that the prin-
cipis now having been generally
agreed, to, the measure of the indem-
nifty while difHcult Is only arthm et-
,al and can he arranged by a subor-
iinate body of men to be taken from
the economic and legal experts at
tached to every embassy 10 the peace
conference.
Question of DtSmcmherrncnt
The question of "dtgmenl hernaent
n empires appears to have been
settled in advance or wifi be SO set
He'd by the voluntary action of the
revolutiouists in Austria and Ger
taany. so that what really remains for
the congress would be an agreement
of the recognition OF the various
parts OF empires that had voluntarily
separated themselves into separate
political entities.
II clearly Is not understood here
that there will be any annexations of
seif-created republics to any other ex-
ts'ent political domain or any new
political territory that should be able
10 sustain itself In conronance with
the general principles laid Down al
ready by President Wilson. In q gen.
erai way IL may he stated that no
aoverrfn ent. new or old will be re-
cognized in the way OF making with
& new peace treaty unless 1t has
demonstrated its capacity for self
government. That has been a tradi-
tionai American policy and all the
sspnearsnee~ are that II vii. be SUB
I,s,rt ed .lafrnAy at the pNAPe. congress
by the American delegation.
Freedom Of the Seas
II Is freely admitted however, that
the question Of the freedom of the
sess il one that demands either an
early new definition or general
agreement on a practical application
of the present understand ding. II is
noted here that while President Will
son answered the allies promptly ac-
ceeding to indemnities as feasible and
just. ne too as Great Britain had
done. reserved Ike main question for
the council table.
1t is not impossible, or even i'm =
proba BILE. that the freedom OF the seas
may be defined satisfactorily to two
or more OF the powers In the peace
congress. 1t is nevertheless stated this
does not imply that any OF the ma
tons will surrender their opinions on
the subject or that the non-surren-
dor would mean fatal break in the
congress.
In this connection II was stated to-
day there is no intention or the part OF
this government to limit its warship
construction. but that this Is some
thing entirely apart from peace con-
Eress discussions Officials say that II
will he time enough to discuss the
academic questions of the number of
ships each nation might be saked for
az naval world peace patrol when
the peace congress unanimously
agrees or disagrees TO any prepare
ton OF gradual disarmament.