Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-22
SAYS PRESIDENT
WILL BE AT FINISH
Wilson's Stay in U. S. on
Return Likely to Be
Short
PRESENCE IS ESSENTIAL
Most Important Topics Likely
to Be Decided After He
Arrives Again in Paris
PRESENCE IS ESSENTIAL
BY RICHARD V. OULAHAN
Special Cable TO Erening Public Ledger


Copyright. 1919. By the n. Y. Times Go.
Paris. Jan. 22.--It may now be said
that President Wilson is determined to
return TO France for the finish OF the
Peace Conference after stay in Amer
lea. dependent in length on contingencies
arising out of the situation there or here
OF course there is always the possibility
of some unexpected domestic episode
compelling the President to remain in
Washington longer than contemplated,
but according to my information he has
definitely decided TO come back to
France as soon as he conveniently can.
lie is not yet ready to announce his
plans for going home, but as the George
Washington, which brought him to
Europe and will carry him back has just
reached New York from Brest and
hardly can complete the round trip under
three weeks, it goes without saying that
the President will not get to America
until about week before the constitu-
tional adjournment OF Congress on
March 4.
Speaking broadly, tho President will
be free--in fact, freer than during the
current OF congressional activity--to
leave Washington as soon as Congress
is in recess and il is quite possible he
will be in America for brief time, meas
ured by days instead of weeks If the
increasing disposition on the part of the
influential members of the Peace Con-
ference to- hurry the conclusion of the
peace treaty brings definite results. as
some of them, particularly the British
/ believe will be the case, the President
. may find II necessary to depart for
B Europe Immediately after Congress ad
journs In any event he has made up
his mind. which as lie mas said. is OF
the single-track variety, that his
presence at the peace table Is essential
/ 10 obtaining a realization of the ideals
! and aspirations for America and the
rest of the world expressed by him in his
writings land addresses.
Leaving aside any divergent views
that may be held in America on the
same subject, those who reflect the Pres
ident's feeling believe his visit to Eu-
rope has been productive of most impor-
, tant results. Certainly there Is rather
general feeling here that, to judge by
surface indications, the Presidents par
lClpatlOn III tne peace exchanges has
been of concliatory character that
will tend to hasten an agreement.
But il is realized that the most i'm
portant topics, important in the sense
that they are likely to lead to contro-
versy and require the most careful
handling 10 bring the best outcome, re-
main to be discussed. For example,
there is the matter of the Italian claims
to territory based IN the terms of the
secret treaty of 1915 negotiated by the
Allied governments and the conflict be-
tween these claims and the aspirations
of the Jugo-Slavs. That ia likely to
cause difficulties which will tax the re.
sourcefuness of the Allied statesmen Il
solve. Upon the President dependenc,
is placed to give the maximum degree
of help in this situation. His position
in the matter is made stronger and al
the same time more delicate by reason
of the fact that both the italian ant
Jugo-Slav people look to him tc
straighten out the tange
However il is the formation of {
league of nations which Is nearest TIL
presidential heart, and it is for this
he will return 10 France as sooon a