The sun., 1919-02-03
President and Col. House
Confident of Agreement
on Their Ideas.
BRITAIN IS FAVORABLE
Can Save $4,000. 100000 in
Interest and ST. 100000
600 More on Navy.
ITALY ALSO SEEMS WON
France Remains Apathetic,
While Japan's Delegates Con-
tinue to Give No Sign.
BY LAURENCE HILLS.
Stdf Correspondent Of THE Sun.
Copyyioht. 1879: all rfohfs reserred.

Copyright 1879; all rfohfs reserred.
PARIS. Feb. 2.-The Peace Confer.
ence is drivlng through with the
League plan, but with many elements
in it reservlng their Judgment until
the plan Is finished. President VIII
son and Col. T.. VI. House appear 10
be brimful of confidence, as they have
induced Premier Orlando to agree
with Lord Robert Cecil, Gen. Ian
SHUTS and themselves on the outline
now being drafted.
Under the Wilson plan the league is
to settle the yexed question Of dis
armament by drawing up n gradual
reduction plan, the supporters OF
which hold out hope that the nations
will be able almost Immediately TO save
the interest on the ANIMAL debt
through the reduction which the
league will make IN armaments. II is
pointed out that in the case Of Great
Britain alone the annual interest will
be 5000. 100000, in addition to
81 600 100000 more for the navy,
which would make 1t impossible for
Great Fritain to continue her naval
expenditures.
Would Abandon COnscription.
France and Italy are in the same
position. This obliges them TO look to
the League of Nations for relief from
these military expenditures. In the
outline of the league now being
drafted it would appear that those
Joining the league would give up con-
scription. as n menace to peace, which
is the leagues object. this. with sub
marines being expressly barred as IN
imical 10 the worlds peace
Al the present stage the most I'd.
ranced advocates Of the league idna
are having their inning. As the cable
dispatches to TnE SIN have pointed
out. President WH>on Col. Uouea,
Lord Robert Cecil and Gen. SmNts,
with Premier Orlando # Italy now
supporting them, arc .hr nrC!i!tents,
but acceptance or the Plan as lurncd
ont by them Is hy Ia means a t"rr-
gone conclusion.
Japan 50 far holds aloor. her ale
gates saying rothipC Ighatcrer. Fame
Is taking little IN crcSt; meanwhile
The French newspapers continue S..:.
nifichptly to raise question after qUr~-
t!on. III Tie face ot tic disarmament
which tho league Is ~ a,yorntp, Il cam
pagn has been stared for French
army Of the same s!2c as INA, e 1917.
Position of Au.tr,I,n.
stephen Lausanne has ;u Interview
to-day in the Ndtin with Premier
Hughes OF Australia. who asserts the
colonial question still 5 far from set
rement ind is quoted as saying that
while Australia did no, object 10 tho
mandate idea, she demanded a man.
date from the nn.y league which en-
listed for Australia. nHmciy, that which
now is meeting The Premier adds
1T is like trying t. lease hou,n
you need and being told tNat the loa,1
can hc made only by Il council whirl
Will meet in one wear or two yraIs or
three years. Is that any solutioni"
Hence there is reason to believe that
when the league cdlfl"r begins 10 ariso
from its foundations under the hands
Of its builders It must hc prepared TO
stand many shocks before the nations
accept ii as their habitat. The Prcs-
dents league ideas now Inust stand
critical examination by the ful, com.
nittec of fifteen and then of the fu
conference. lie is fighting to make
the plan as strong as possible, urging
n permanent secretarat. against the
objection OF some of the other Powci-,.
senate Criticism Resented.
The shifting of the Instantaneous
problem to the league of nations may
mean that this question may NOT hH
settled at all by tho Peace Conference.
on the other hand, the freedom Of the
seas, It IS learned, is 10 be treated as
. separate question, not involved IN
the lcnGuc plan, The British are keel
ing this Issue carefully clear from the
league discussion.
Discussion IN the American Senate
of The bearing of the lc5Eue OF nntinu,
pan upon the Monroe n\"trine is ~
tracing much attention here IN Amer
lean mission circles The pos. .iGA >
Senator Borlh tliahol as reported IN
cahlcd messages received Lcrc ap.
pnrcntly revolyed nrom! the poiH,
brought up by the Britiah dul ing the