Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-02-01

statement will give the average per-
SON an idea as to what Is happening
In this remarkable French capital.
The Peaco Conference Is composed
Of a Supreme War Council, which oc
cuptes tho position OF an executive
committee Of an ordinary body. In
this Supreme War Council, all tho
d principal plans are decided upon in
advance, subject to such notifications
as tho regular Peace Conference may
decide to have put into effect. Tho
peculiar part OF this Is that the men,
bers OF the Supreme War Council arc
tho representatives from what is dcs
ignated as tho Five Great Powers.
These are Great Britain, the United
States OF America. France, Italy and
Japan. 1t was Great Britain's insis
tenco that caused tho recognition Of
tho Japanese. All Of the other nations
involved in the war, including Haiti,
Cuba, Brazil and Liberia, arc mem
bers OF the Peace Conference, but
their voting power is in Il measure
nulliticd by the Increase in voting
power OF each of the Five Great Pow
crs. For example. as the Supreme
WGr Council meets o itself and agrees
upon Il policy the countries composing
1t have the voting strength to carry
through any measure that might
receive tho official endorsement Of
that tribunal
Smaller powers can protest, but
that is about all they can do. We have
not received any information as yet
as to the arrival in Paris, OF any Of
the numerous delegates appointed to
attend the Peace Conference On the
ports have been issued to any OF them
and that the Administration as rep
resented by the Secretary Of States
Office is only issuing passports to the
accredited reproscn ntivcs OF reputable
journals and magazines in this coun
try. Under this head, DR.. w. Il. ID.
Dubois has succeeded in reaching
France with the official 0. X. of tho
Administration and Roscoe Conkling
Simmons has done tho same thing,
while DR.. r.. II. Motion has a special
mission on tho part OF President
Wilson himself. 1t is reasonably Ger
tain that mono OF these gentlemen will
cause the distinguished President OF
tho United States any embarrassment
during his sojourn in n foreign land
and this Is just what is making Editor
William Monroe Trotter, Mrs. Ida
Wells Barnett, DR.. w. II. Jcrnigan,
DR., J. Milton Waldron and host
OF others unhappy.
After all Of their work in this coun
try, to have it go for naught is not on
ly embarrassing and unfortunate, but
it is paralyZing. We forcSaw this condi
ton Of affairs many months ago and
advised them.
1t looks strange that none OF them
seemed to have thought Of present
ing their memorials to the various
embassies located in Washington, not
necessarily In person. but by Official
documents with the hopo that these
protests would DO communicated to
their home governments, who i'll turn
would turn them over to their repro
scntativcs at tho Peace Conference
in Paris.
AS tho matter now stands, no com
munication can come up before
tho Peace Conference before it
is first submitted to the Supreme
War Council and tho Supreme War
Council is dominated and controlled
by the United States as represented
by President Wilson and by Great
Britain as represented by Hon. David
Lloyd George. If President Wilson
proposition will ever sec the light of
day in the Peace Conference. The on
ly way then is to forward documents
direct also to DR.. r.. r.. Motion and
Correspondent Roscoe Conklin Sim
mons.
Who believes that ii the President
OF the United States shakes his head
in the negative at them, that they will
insist upon the presentation OF the
demands coming from the various Or
CARNATIONS of citiZcns OF color in this
country? The situation is peculiar,
some what amusing and decidedly
hopeless, so far as the success of the
effort to call attention to the handi
caps now affecting us as citizens in
this country.