New-York tribune., 1918-12-20
Germans Probably VIII
Receive Invitation Only
TO Sign the Final Pact
Wilson Wants All
Parleys in aris
Preliminary and Even
Final Conversations Are
Likely To Be Held There

Likely 10 be Held There
PARIS, Dec. f9.-Defrite plans for
the peace conference are not shaping
as rapidly as some oe the American
commissioners expected. Meanwhile,
President Wilson is taking advantage
CT the opportunity to assess public
opinion in France and, incidentally,
Great Britain. His advisers say that
he is entirely satisfied that these peo-
pies are largely in accord with the
principles he has announced as neces-
sary to a durable peace.
The members of the American mis-
sion are employing their time before
the peace delegates from the various
countries actually assemble in a series
of informal conferences, which event
ually will include representative of
each of the Entente belligerents. Neu-
trail states will not come into these
discussions.
Favor Making Peace First
The feeling among all the Entente
conferrees is that the making of peace
should be their first task, so that they
may determine upon the broad outlines
of a league of nations, which, later,
representatives Of neutral countries
will assist in completing.
While the American commissioners
are holding these informal exchanges,
which are designed to clear up diver
gencies of opinion, the President is
constantly giving the closest attention
to immediate problems. He is receiv-
ing reports from the United States,
from American diplomatic agencies
| throughout the world and from the
group of investigators brought here for
the purpose of studying the many spe-
.ial problems which will arise These
investigators are continuing their
studies with the advantage now of
being on the ground and in intimate
contact with original sources of in
formation.
The President may change the pro-
gramme of his movements while await
ing the opening of the conference. 1t
was not supposed until to-day that he
would visit England before the new
year, but he has received urgent in
vitations to come soon.
American observers deduce from the
! -
come to England during Christmas time
that some conferences of the statesmen
with the President there would logically
follow. 1t is understood, however, that
the President favors the holding of all
conferences in Paris, so far as possible
1t appears to be virtually settled that
all the actual peace conferences will be
held in Paris and that the informal cx-
changes, which will lay the groundwork
for the final deliberations, also will be
carried on here.
How long the President will remain
IN London has not been determined,
but as he is due to return for the
opening of the conference here the
first week in January, it would seem
that he could not remain in England
for long.
Leaves Paris Christmas Eve
Mr.t Wilson's present Christmas
plans contemplate his departure from
Paris on Christmas Eve for Chaumont,
American headquarters, on General
81 a.
mas morning he will go by automobile
to a near by rest camp and dine with
the troops, returning to Paris the
same night.
gave a reception this evening in honor
of the American President The Pres
ident was received by Gabriel Hano-
taux, of the French Academy. In the
course of the reception President Will.
son had conversations with Senator
Leon Bourgeois, Professor Henri Berg
son and Baron Matsui, japanese Am
bassador to France. All the Latin
were present.
The American Ambassador, William
G. Sharp, as dean of the DIPLOMAT
Corps, has arranged to present all tn
ambassadors and ministers accredite,
to the French government to Presiden
Wilson on Friday at the Murat Palace
Clemenceau Visits Wilson
Premier Clemenceau and Colone
E. M. House visited President Wilson
n this morning at his Paris residence
e the Murat mansion. The callers al
y rived at the Presidential residence a
It about 10 o'clock.
: The French Premier and the Pres
e dent were engaged for more than a
It hour in an intimate discussion. Colone
e House also conferred with the Presi
t dent in the morning.
d President Wilson personally hs
l. taken a hand in seeing that the Unite
> States Is informed of Whist is going Q
lin the peace conferences He took th