Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-28
EVENTS OF A WEEK

VI "a "~0AA
Both on it's own account and because Of the bearing
which it has on the peace negotiations which are soon
to begin, the presidents visit to Europe continues to be
Of absorbing and increasing interest. The program al
ready announced has been followed with slight varia-
tons. Christmas day was spent by the presidential
party with the American soldiers at the front, and i'm
pressive addresses to the soldiers were delivered there
by the president and by General pershing. Naturally
the reception accorded to the head of the nation by the
men VINO had battled for the honor of the nation and in
support of the cause of humanity to which it was COM
mitted, was more than cordial.
Thursday the president and his party crossed me
channel for England. AS if to give augury of favorable
progress during the visit, the weather during the cross
ing was unusually calm, and instead of the choppy seas
which have been the bane of cross channel travellers
from time immemorial, the tourists sailed through water
almost like glass. The journey from Dover to London
was a triumphal procession, repeated whenever the pres
ident has shown himself on the streets Of the ancient
capital. The head of no other nation visiting London
has ever been greeted with an equal display Of entnus-
iasm, and on only a few occasions has there been a
similar display when the British sovereign has made
a STATE appearance.
Interesting as these manifestations of popular
friendship for America, and gratifying to both the Amer
lean people and their president as must be both the
evidences of popular regard and the graceful courtesy Of
the monarch of Britain, it is the conferences between
the president and the British premier and other men,
bers of the administrative group that must be consid-
cred of first Importance, for it is these which will bring
out the points of agreement and disagreement in the
peace programs which are in process Of incubation, and
it is on the manner in which the points Of agreement
will be supported and the disagreements smoothed out
that much that will be done at the peace conference
will depend.
In the conferences between the president, Premier
Lloyd George and Foreign Secretary Balfour questions
relating to the proposed league of nations and the free
dom of the seas have been freely discussed, in addition,
Of course, to all other features of the proposed peace
program. The London dispatches, while they do not at
tempt to present any record of the conversations, or to
quote any person in authority with reference thereto,
say unreservedly, and presumably on authentic infor-
nation. that no important differences of opinion on
these highly important subjects have arisen. At this
time, therefore,, it appears that a substantial agreement
on some Of the most intricate features of the peace
program has been reached by President Wilson with the
representatives of France. Italy and Great Britain. If
this is true the result should be a marked, facilitation
of matters at the formal conference.
There are plenty of evidences that all will not be
smooth sailing when the peace conference gets down to
details relating to the definition Of the boundaries of
some Of the new states which are to be created. The
Allies are committed to recognition Of the national as
pirations of the Jugo Slavs, for instance. It. has been
assumed that a territorially expanded Serbia would be
set apart to be the national home of these southern
branches of the Slavic race. But there is a fringe of
territory along the eastern shore Of the Adriatic known
as the Dalmatian coast which the Jugo Slavs insist
should be a part of their territory ht which T+a1v also
claims with equal insistence. This matter must be
%threshed out. In the meantime, press bureaus represent
ing both sides are working diligently to mould public
opinion in the United States. and, presumably, in otner
countries. Concerning the work of these bureaus it may
be said that much of it is carried on with more visor
than discretion.
."alAts;2A
1t is difficult to tell whether or not the political con-
FUSION which has prevailed in. Germany since the COL
lapse OF the old government is increasing. There are
abundant manifestations of a spirit Of unrest and result,
and in Berlin particularly there has recently been riot
provisional government still retains its position. although
under some conditions which recall the opportunisno Of
the kerensky government in Russia. which ultimately
led to its downfall The decision having been reached
10 mold q general election and thus lay the foundation
for a constitutional government, aside from tn. work
OF preparing for the election and maintaininp order.
THEORISTS WHO IT ! ssss. he E, W. e