Evening star., 1918-11-19

b
was made at the. White House last
evening. The President will sail Inn
mediately after the assembling OF
Congress. December 2, next The an
nouncement follows:
"The President expects to sail for
France Immediately after the opening
of the regular session Of Congress.
for the purpose Of taking part in the
discussion and settlement Of the main
features of the treaty of peace.
"It is not likely that it will be pos
Sible for him to remain throughout
the sessions of the formal peace con-
ference, but his presence at the outset
is necessary in order to obviate the
manifest disadvantages of discussion
by cable in determining the greater
outlines Of the final treaty, about
which he must necessarily be con-
suited.
He will, of course, be accompanied
by delegates who will sit as the rep
fesentatives Of the United States
throughout the conference. The names
of the delegates will be presently an
nounced.'
May Not Sit at Green Table.
The language Of the official state
ment that the President goes ''for the
purpose of taking part in the dis
cussion and settlement Of the main
features of the treaty OF peace" was
construed here to mean tina. as long
as he stays in Paris he Will be IN
effect a member ex ofhcio of the peace
congress, ALTHOUGH he might not sit
at the green table at which tie con-
gress will hold it's plenary sessions.
But the history of Similar con-
crosses, following great wars, shows
that the most important work is
done in the meetings of the delegates
by groups, apart from the main body.
It viii be in the proceedings of the
Am merican group that the President
will participate and where, 1t Is as
sumed, he viii exercise influence by his
advice and counsel
Will Be Absent Several Weeks
He has indicated that 1t is not his
present intention to stay throughout
the sessions of the conference, but.
since the delegates probably cannot
he will be absent from the United
States for several weeks. at least.
Mr.. Wilson will be the first Presf-
dent to visit Europe and also the first
to attend peace conference for the
settlement of issues growing out of
? var III WHICH the OQllcU oldlSS lOOh
part.
secretary Lansing Of the State De-
partment will head the American COM
missioners and other members proba-
bly, will include Col E. NJ. House. who
now is representing the government
in the deliberations OF the SUPP eine
war council at Versailles. Elihu Root,
former Secretary Of State, and Louis
d. Brandeis, associate justice Of the
Supreme Court.
Mrs. Wilson Also to Go.
. No announcement of the plans for
the Presidents trip has been made.
He is expected, however, to make the
voyage on a battlesh,p. as .'in j.
dents Roosevelt and Taft when they
visited the Panama Canal zone. Mrs.
Wilson, undoubtedly. will accompany
him and his immediate party probably
will include Joseph P. Tumulty. his
private secretary; Rear Admiral Cary
T. Grayson. his personal physician,
and military and M al aids.
The Presidents ship will be escort
ed into French port by French war
craft and possibly also by vessels of
the British and Italian navies. Troops
to be assigned as the guard of honor
for the President in France probably
will consist of units from each OF the
allied armies.
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