The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-12-21
WILSON VISITS
MARSHAL FOCH
President, After Calling on French
Chief, viii Go Thateau
Thierry.
TO U.S.FRONT CHRISTMASEvE
Executive Learns How Big Task of
Assembling Peace Delegates Is
and Causes for Delay in
Calling Conference.

the allies commander. Later he will
visit the battle field at Chateau Thier-
ry, where the first American divisions
distinguished themselves, and also
Reims.
President Wilson will leave Paris
Christmas eve and go to American
general headquarters. From headquar-
tiers he will proceed to the American
front. He will have Christmas din
ner with the American troops, and
not with the American commander in
chief or other officers.
Lansing Assigns Duties to ENJOYS.
Secretary Lansing was in confer
ence with q number of the members
Of the American delegation to the
peace conference in an effort to organ
lie the working force. The secre-
tary met each individual separately
and began the assignment Of duties to
the various members of the American
group.
Secretary Lansing said that it was
clearly impossible to do anything more
than this preliminary work, such as
the organization of separate units, be-
fore the holidays, although there might
be and probably would be informal
conversations between the American
and entente delegates to the congress,
as they met socially and unofficially.
Ministers to Meet Wilson.
The arrival of the various officials
to meet President Wilson has not been
arranged. Premier Vittorio Orlando Of
Italy, and Foreign Minister Sonnino
4 will reach here Thursday The Brit
ish prime minister, David Lloyd
George. and Foreign Secretary a, j.
Balfour will probably reach Paris next
! Saturday or Sunday. With Premier
+, Clemenceau, the presence Of these
peace delegates will permit of discus
sion among the four leading powers
Great Britain, France, the United
States and Italy.
The allies conference probably will
assemble next Monday, but the Ses-
sions will be brief, not exceeding two
days. The meetings will be held in
the French war Office and will give
president Wilson his first opportunity
to meet the delegates around the con-
ference table, After two days the va
rious leaders will separate for the
Christmas holidays.
A meeting between M. Venizelos and
President Wilson took place after
President Wilson's return from the
ministry of war Monday. The inter-
view lasted half an hour.
Many Causes for Delaying Meet
After the conferences he had had
in Paris and the personal examina-
ton he has made into the situation
here, President Wilson has come to
understand fully why the peace con-
ference cannot get under way before
the first Of the year. The mere physi-
cal proposition Of getting the Ameri-
can mission settled in its offices is a
tremendous job.
President Wilson's visit to the
American troops at the front and his
review of them In Paris that Is planned
will be entirely out of the way by the
first of the year. Meanwhile the in
formal conferences which mean so
much and decide so much in laying the
groundwork for such task as is be-
| fore the peace conference will continue
to make progress.
From the presidents point of view,
At is indicated, there are plainly things
to be said, and he wants to say them
and avoid antagonisms because not
withstanding all the points to be
cleared up and upon which wide diver
genees Of opinion have been expressed
as representing public opinion In Eng
land and France, the president is con-
fdent that an acceptable agreement
will be reached before the peace con-
ference adjourns.
| Wilson Working Out Own Pians.
While things are shaping up for the
great gathering, President Wilson is
| evidently working out his own plans
| and for the most part keeping his own
counsel.
President Wilson's health continues
good. He has shaken off completely
the cold which followed him to Eu-
rope. With Mrs. Wilson and Rear ADJ
miral Gary T. Grayson, his medical
adviser, he probably viii take turn
On the golf links at Versailles the first
pleasant morning that comes along,
and on which he is not too busily en-
gagged with his, stenographers. He is
keeping in the closest touch with af-
fairs in the United States through re-
ports from the White House, from
members of the cabinet and the heads
of some of the special bureaus upon
| whom he is. depending for accurate In
formation.