Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-17
RUSS|A'S STANDING
MOOTED QUESTION
BEFORE COUNCIL
That She Must Be Represent
ed Is Opinion of Peace
Delegates.
STAND ON PUBLICITY
LIKELY TO BE MODIFIED
Representation of British Colonies
Impresses French Co.
lonial World.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, January 1.-THE supreme
council of the peace conference met
again today according to program. At
noon it took a recess until 3 o'clock.
II was announced that no official state
ment regarding the proceedings of the
conference would be made until the
conclusion of the afternoon session.
After the morning session of the su-
preme council President Wilson called
on Col. House at American head
quarters at the Hotel de Crillon.
There is every expectation that the
American delegation would support
the viewpoint of the American corre-
spondents regarding publicity.
There was full attendance today
of the members of the council.
Joseph Noulens, the French ambas-
sador to Russia. entered the foreign
office just before the meeting and
it developed later that he was in
vited by the council to meet with IT
and express his views of the Rus
sian situation.
The council was presented with a
statement of the actions taken by
the press representatives of the va
fious countries in restriction OF the
news of the peace conference pro-
ceedings The statement sets forth
that the American, British, Italian,
Serbian and Belgian correspondents
asked the admission of the press to
the sittings of the council.
The French press delegation. on
the other hand. was unanimous IN
taking. the contrary position.
Thus, no common resolution was
presented, and the press delegation of
each country is left liberty of action
in presenting its viewpoint to IT'S own
delegation.
In addition to this a. resolution
adopted by the press of America,
Great Britain, Italy and the smaller
nations acting with them, also was
presented.
of Russia continues to be one OF the
most important before the supreme
council of the peace conference. The
problem at present principally con-
Germs how and when she shall be
represented before the conference, for
opinion in conference circles is that
Russia must be represented.
The position of the council regard
ing publicity is considered today as
likely to be modified, and 1t was be-
lieved with the assembling OF the
council today that the PRESS would
be admitted Saturday to hear Presi-
dent Poincare's speech before the full
aSsemblage. In such case, however
the newspaper men would withdraw
when the. real business before the
conference was taken up.
The separate representation given
the British colonies in the peace con-
ference having unfavorably impressed
the French colonial world, the Havas
Agency has issued a note pointing out
that by reason of the interchangea-
bility of the delegates the French gov
ernment can. when necessary, call in
specially qualified plenipotentiaries,
and that thus the different colonial
problems will be discussed with all the
necessary safeguards.
Clemenceau Criticises Report.
Premier Clemenceau in the chamber
Of deputies today gave 4 warning against
false reports concerning the peace con-
ference, citing as an instance a cable
gram addressed to the New York Trib-
Cne.
II saw yesterday telegram addressed
: to the New York Tribune he said,
''in which it was said that President
Wilson has threatened to withdraw all
his troops and himself retire if certain
stipulations of his were not granted.
When i showed this telegram to Mr..
Wilson this morning he replied to me:
what an aboIlin2ble falsehood.
WHen tnlS Gl.sDdlCn was SHOWN To-
day to Garet Garrett, managing editor
of the New York Tribune, he said:
The Tribune has never received any
statement from Paris and none even
remotely resembling such A statement
as was denied by President Wilson
has ever been published in the Tri-
bune." From this incident it appears
that. notwithstanding assurances to
the contrary. dispatches filed by
American correspondents in Paris ap-
parently are still being censored and
perhaps withheld by the French au-
thorities- The Paris dispatch shows
that the cablegram addressed to the
. Tribune was shown to President Will
SON and evidently was suppressed at
the order of the French government
Secrecy Rule Is Held Up.
PARIS. Thursday, January 1s (by
the Associated Press).-At the in
stance of President Wilson the
supreme interallied council decided
today to hold in allegiance the pro-
posed rule for virtual secrecy re-
sarding its deliberations beyond
information given in official state
ments. 1t was also decided to request
representatives of the British, Aneri-
can and Italian press to present some
plan for reporting the meeting.
Clemenceau Makes Statement.
Premier Clemenceau spoke this aft
ernoon in the chamber of deputies on
the decision to keep proceedings of
the peace congress secret He had
been interpellated by several socialist
deputies and had asked that discus
sion of their questions be postponed.
when he said: I'VE have not vet
found a flnal form in which com
munications from the peace congress
will be made. but in general way
the principle of publicity has met
with favor"
Here he was interrupted by Deputy
Mistral, who asked: Except by you.
NJ. Clemenceau."
Il have the honor to emphatically
deny that statement" the premier
rejoined. I'VE all should like to keep
proceedings secret in order that it
may not be said that such and such
a country made such and such "A prop
osition, which has been fought by
such and such other governments
We are unanimous in thinking that
might create bad feeling. We think
that in the preliminary conversations
1--WE must, at all costs, arrive at an
agreement, so that there shall be a
solid front at the general discussion
IF we wish to form a league OF
nations, writing phrases in INSULT
cient. There must be prevailing
spirit which will insure the life OF
ihis leaaua of uationa. We would