Republican farmer., 1918-11-22

Washington, Nov. 21-The peace conference at Versailles, in all prob ability, will be short affair and Pres ident Wilson may remain for the en- tire session. Information to this ef- feet, reaching the Capital yesterday, intimated that the Allies and the United States already had reached a practical agreement on the broad principles which will form the .foun- dation of the final treaty.
 With the war won, and only'a brief interval before the fruits of victory will be tasted, no grievances or diff ferences will be allowed to disrupt the program which has been mapped out by this nation and the Entente governments.
 The Presidents reasons for sending Colonel House to France were not en- tireIy fulfilled when the arTnistice conditions were formulated at Yer sailles. Although the worst was over," a new .rnd more dangerous period came into being at that time, and Colonel Houses chief work since then has been to act as the interme- 1 diary between the President and the ] exchange of views that have been go- | ing on as a necessary prelude to the | conference.
 | It is in the interest of harmony that the President is going abroad, for he realizes how fearful would be a quarrel among friends at this parti- cular time. Developments up to the present have been so satisfactory as to indicate 'all is we'll" as far as the future is concerned.
 If the program goes through as per arrangements, Germany will be given the alternative of signing the
 treaty on sight almost, or of facing a l future devoid of an iota of material
 assistance from the Allies and the
 United States.
 The associated Powers will occupy the same position they occupied al the time the German delegates met
 Marshal Foch and read, with arched
 eye brows, no doubt, the conditions of
 the armistice. That they attempted
 to obtain mitigation and fared poorly
 has been clearly portrayed by For
 eign Secretary Solf's voluminous cor.
 respondence of the past few weeks 1 Abassador Francis has arrived in
 Scotland from Russia, the State De-
 partment announced yesterday after
 noon. He is taking a short vacation
 He is expected to be in Paris to con- fer with President Wilson upon the
 latter's arrival there.
 Yesterday the Senate Foreign Re-
 lations committee, by common con-
 sent, decided not to suggest to the
 President that zome of it's members
 be included in the peace conference that will sail with the President. Senator Hitchcock, chairman of the committee, assured the members tha the President probably will confer with the committee before goinl
 abroad and certainly would confe T with it upon his return.
 ''The committed" said Senate
 Hitchcock, "belieyes the Presiden vii inform 1t directly of all actiol
 taken at the peace barley. It is prob
 able the President will confer person. ally with the Senators upon his return
 as to tho program of events at thu
 peace table,"
 The Lodge resolution declaring it tt 1 be the sense of the Senate that there
 should be a free and independen Poland, was brought up yesterday, bu . action on it was deferred in defer ; ence to the President.
 There is a strong possibility tha . the United States will be the tacit rep resentative of the Russian people a l the peace conference. Prince Lvoff
 the first Prime Minister of Russi; after the overthrow of the Czar, ma. l go to Paris in an unofficial capacit! {; and be accorded an audience at tn conference. but the United States vii carry through its role as a protecto < and friend of Russia. Prince Lvoff nov :; is a guest at the Russian embass. {. here.
 Upon his arrival in France, tn 1 President will be met not only by off D. cials of that government but also b, 0 the American ambassadors and min isters now in Europe. They will con l fer with him in Paris and by estab , fishing "personal contact with thei
 chief, they are expected to be able | , give him much information which vii
 be of great value to him when tn ,, conference opens.