The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-09
OUTLINE PROGRAM
FOR PROCEDURE
AT CONFERENCE
Cabinet Organization Delays
Arrival of Lloyd George
League of Nations First.
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
PARIS. Jan. 9.-President Wilson's
conferences with the premiers of Great
Britain. France and Italy. which were
to open today have been delayed and
probably will not begin before early
next week.
Mr.. Lloyd George is detained in Lon
don by work incident to the recon
struction of his cabinet. Premier Or
lando of Italy, who is due here today,
will probably return to Rome, where
his presence for forty-eight hours is
necessary because of matters under
consideration by the Italian parlia-
ment.
There will. however be meeting
today at the office of Stephen Pichon,
foreign minister. 1t will be attended
by Mr.. Wilson, Premier Orlando and
Japanese representatives. but it will
be informal because of the absence of
Mr.. Lloyd George. although British
representatives will probably be pres
ent. 1t was considered best to hold the
meeting and clear up some prelimin-
ary points and it is believed that i'm
portant details of procedure will be
settled. If this is done, the delegates
will be in a position. when Mr.. Lloyd
George arrives, to rapidly complete
the preliminary work and clear up
matters for the opening conferences
on Monday and Tuesday. Importance
is attached to the meeting Of the
French cabinet today for it is probable
that President Poincare will definitely
nominate the French delegates to the
peace congress.
No Long Debates.
Referring to the conferences as be-
ing between the chiefs of the entente
governments, the best informed
French sources say. that 1t is no more
or less than meeting-perhaps q last
---of the higher allied war commission.
The procedure that will be adopted
will be the simplest possible, having
the advantage of avoiding laborious
pourparlers. II is pointed out that
the committee in question will be COM
posed of the premiers and foreign
ministers of the allies. Mr.. Wilson fig
uring as American premier.
It is not expected there will be a
long debate at the conferences; this
morning newspapers saying that the
French government communicated to
the entente. powers some days ago
complete plan of work, amounting
to sUEgestit.r, Of coordinate pro-
gram.
AS regards questions concerning en-
my countries, 1t is understood that
those concerning Germany will be
taken mp first. then those Of Austria
Hungary and finally those relative to
Bulgaria and Turkey. These details
will probably not be decided upon un-
til the league of nations part of the
Dro9-an has been exhausted, however
Only General Principles.
IT is not expected that the pre-
miers' conference will deal with more
than the most general principles of
the peace settlement. In fact it now
seems doubtful If more than a broad
general agreement will be reached be-
fore President returns to America in
February. Out Of the coming confer
ences 1t is expected that a more or
less tentative program will be adopted,
which will divide the work of the
peace congress into successive steps.
The actual making of peace with the
central powers may be the last of
these steps.
Nv PROCEDURE now DSllS OlSCuSSoO
is, roughly. as follows:
First, a general agreement between
the United States and the entente bel
ligerents of the creation of a league
Of nations, or similar machinery, to
enforce the terms of peace and pre-
serve it.
Second. the setting up Of new in
dependent states growing out of the
war
Third. the assignment of damages
and indemnities and the manner OF
their payment.
Fourth. the conclusion of peace
treaties with the central powers.
The peace treaties may be left 10
the last because none of the agree
ments can bind the central powers, un-
less in the meantime. they have es-
tablished their stability and purpose
of carrying out the treaties made
Question of Delay.
At this point arises the question OF
how long the peace congress will wait
for the central powers to arrange their
governments. It is pointed out by
some OF those working on the problem
that neither Germany nor Austria can
complete their government machinery
until 1t is determined what the two
peoples desire in this matter It is.
OF course. dependent largely upon tbs.
peace congress. but II is not expected
that the congress will wait indefinitely
for the central empires to prepare
themselves for an agreement
There is always the possibility that
IL no responsible governments appear
to give assurance that obligations un-
tions represented at the congress
could give notice that II would become
necessary at certain points to assist
IN the formation Of orderly govern
ments and at the same time begin to
collect revenues to apply on the bill
OF damages.
Such action. II taken at all. would be
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