The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-01

;
/ Paris, November 8O.-The
municipal council today Adopted
n resolution recommending TINT
the day OF President Wilson'S
arrival in France be mbadc . M
nonal holiday.
! Paris. Nov. so.--December 10 hsA
| been definitely set as tho date on
which the preliminary conferences will
begin between President Wilson and
Premiers Lloyd George, C1emenceau
and Orlando.
The program thus far Developed
warrants the belief that the four ma
tions represented by these men wilt
agree upon the main points Of peace
before Christmas The smaller nations
are then expected to be consulted AZ
to the details.
Germany viii not be called before
late In January. 1t is believed and
then only to hear the results of the
allied American deliberations and to
suggest notifications
Meanwhile the armistice win havA
to be prolonge and that question ID
already being considered. No Difficult
ties are looked for on that score.
The general feeling here Is that once
the allies and America have agreed on
the main points they will impose tho
peace terms upon Germany with little
discussion.
IL seems OBVIOUS tn1b inc GENITAL
powers settlement of their own gov
ernmental and social problems will
have a considerable bearing upon the
final peace treaty.
Premier Clemenceau conferred with
Colonel r. h. House at the latter'A bed
side this afternoon 1t was the dfHt
official visit OF it's kind the colonel has
been able to receive in weeks. Two
days ago he had sufficiently recovered
from the attack of influenza 70 take =
short walk. but relapse set In shortly
afterward and his physician hads him
to exercise the utmost care since hA
is still very weak.
Colonel Houses physical condition.
makes IL Improbable that he will NJ.
tend next weeks conferences Of Allfed
leaders In London preceding the pea1s
preliminaries. Premier Clemenceau
leaves for London late this evening
or early tomorrow and 1t In believed
he called upon the American delegate
for the purpose of gathering clear
outline of the iatters view on the nuh-s
5eoss< fe he discussed at tho DcwuxAe
i street confabr. as
Il Rainy weather Is impeding ne coI-
onefs recovery. Messrs. Hoover and
Hurley have made repeated Calls 1t
his residence to discuss tho food and
shipping problems
Portugal ON Hand.
| The Portuguese peace delegation ar
rived here today. It is the drst fun
delegation to reach Paris Delegates
of the other nations win begin t. ar
rive early next week.
BY tacit understanding the various
representatives have arranged Il -
they will arrive here just prior to
1.-THE opening of the preliminary eO4-
ference SO as to avoid even the eemb-
: lance of shaping sentiment for Or
against certain Issues that win come
Eup at the world congress-
.tz ~
pected to be named on Premier Clemsn.
ceau's return from London. The prA-
| iininary deliberations will begin we1l
before Christmas.
. None OF the delegations are max.
, ing extensive reservations At ver.s
: sailies which Is taken as proof that
the all important work Is to be done
at the foreign office OF the Quai dor
say. with only two or three plenAry
, sessions including the final ratihcatfon
at Versailles Premier Lloyd George
and few others however may cons
con gress lasts.
: None of the neutrals. who plan -
send representatives to the conferences
} on the formation OF league Of as-
lions have as yet made reservations.
/, The Scandinavian Kingdoms are known
, to be vitality interested in the solution
! OF the freedom Of the seas problem.
Freedom Of the Seas.
/, The French press is exercising : re-
. markable restraint toward tho Hood at
unofficial interpretations appearing IN
; English and American newspapers
, supplemented by forecasts Of ccntr0-
, versies on the subject of the freedom
, of the seas The general opinion here
seems to be that the best course IL tn
await an explicit statement from Pres
dent Wilson before any comment what
soever is made his views WHICH
are thus far unstated except In =
general way in his various interna-
tional utterances-
} Wise old political writer's here locav
with amusement upon the idea which
some English and American conInentN-
tors appear to foster, namely that
their adverse comment what thAy
! believe are President Wilson'S views
and contemplate any policies may SUE
| coed in deterrinE him; may prnnant
him to change his mind. These EraAEh.
students of the predominant tnternA-s
t tonal figures point out that nothing
could be more foolish and futile thzn
this idea that man of Wilson'S CALI
: bre would be likely to alter his views
owing to adverse comment.
Nor is there any tendency here Tor
ward searching for controversies son
other issues such as the Juge-Ssny-
Italian situation or even toward stir
. ring up a discussion on this or other
points before The peace preliMinariea.
actually begin ssS sAs
! In other words the policy o. fhAa
French press ana OF authcrttattvAa
quarters here appears to be I'VE Gta1s
cross those bridges when ws reN
Them 81 rs
Premature discussions Ia the prS4S5
ut n argued coutd benefit UHfy ttIN
enemy, SA1s
French public opinion knowsa2 tIi11
the return OF -Lorraino1