The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-12-26
PLANS FOR PEACE
CONF FERENCE ARE
SLOWLY FORMING
Four Nations to Say What
Others May Join
MUCH WORK TO BE DONE
Neutral Powers viii Probably Be All.
lowed 10 Participate When Con-
ference Is Fairly Started.

Paris, Dec. 2o.--MOre than three
weeks viii probably elapse before the
general peace conference assemblies
1t is unlikely that any official state
men 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 10 participate
Technical experts, attached to the
delegations Of the principal powers,
have already given much study to this
subject. II negotiations to reach an
agreement on this point have not
been undertaken already, it is certain
that they viii be Immediately after
President Wilson's return from Lon
don
Notwithstanding the indisposition
Of the British Government to inject
business in Mr.. Wilson's trip. it is
possible that in his conference 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.
Conditions which Will confront the
Peace Conference when il opens will
NOT be unlike those marking the open.
ing of a new Congress In the United
States or a national convention
In the first the House Clark deter.
mines the tentative membership and
in the second the Committee on Gre
dontials prepares a tentative list OF
delegates. Al the Peace Conference
delegates must be prepared to pre-
sent adequate credentials from their
Legislature King, President, or other
executive authority.
IL is though probable that several
countries on>sae tentative list VII
be closely restricted at the begin
ming, when broad questions of policy
viii be outlined, But additions to
the list Of delegates may be made
later, when the conference gets down
to details and general principles
Sun later another class Of nation,
may be admitted, including the Cen
tral Powers, to lay the foundation,
for the formal signing Of peace treat
les
Theoretically these questions ar,
subject to mutual examination ant
challenge IN case OF doubt, but actual
ly. in the forthcoming conference. tn,
United States Great Britain. Francs
Italy. and later, perhaps, Belgium. b,
reason OF sentimental considerations
will probably reach an understanding
as 10 the admission OF delegates.
The neutral powers will probabl,
be allowed to participate when tn
stage is reached where Il is desirable
there should be a worldwide adoption
OF the plans prepared at the prelm
nary sessions for the permanent sci
tlement OF war issues and the assul
ance Of permanent peace.
There are already indications tina
there Will be applications from nj
( merous small States. some of ther
existing before the war and others r,
sulting from the collapse of Russi
. and the division of Austria and Tu
key In this category are the Ziol
lists OF Palestine, Arabs. Armenian
D Georgians, and small Governments
I Mesopotamia, which the British an
4 French Governments have aread
/. promised recognition or protection.
q The Czecho.Sloyak Republic hs
r been recognized already ny most
n the nations of the Eentente and L
/, the United States. Siberia, Finland.
The Ukraine, Esthonia and numbe
|. Gus fragments Of Russia are seekir
|. recognition.