Evening star., 1919-05-12
COUNCIL TAKES Up
LATEST HUN NOTES
Germans Want Commission
to Act in Repatriation
of Prisoners.
ASK LABOR CONFERENCE

By the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 1.-THE council
of four mt it's meeting today de-
cfded to refer the German notes
ON labor and war prisoners to ex-
perts for consideration, instead of
answering them mt once. as it did
with the first two communications
from the German delegation.
PARIS, May 12.-The council of four
Of the peace conference met this
morning and took up consideration of
the replies to be made to the latest
German notes-those regarding labor
matters and prisoners of war.
A Havas dispatch says: The peace
conference leaders are reported by the
newspapers to have decided yesterday
upon the terms of the reply to be made
to the two notes sent to President
Clemenceau of the peace conference
on Saturday evening by Count Won
Brockdorff- -RantZau.
Count Rantzau Submits Notes.
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS. May 11-Count Won Brock
dorff -RantZau. German foreign minis
ter and chief of the German peace
delegation. in addressing a note to
Premier C1emenceau relative to the
repatriation of prisoners asks that the
details of the transfer be intrusted to
commissions.
The German foreign minister states
that the German peace delegation has
noted with satisfaction" that the
draft of the treaty recognizes in prin-
ciple the repatriation of German war
and civilian prisoners with great ex-
pedition and says that special COM
missions might carry on direct oral
discussions, which would include all
belligerent states, it being pointed
out that even during hostilities this
has proved a most effective way of
solving difficulties.
Wants Early Action Taken.
The note then refers to a number of
minor points and proposes that de-
liberations by commissions should be
begun speedily to clear up prelimi-
naries in readiness for the time when
shipping and similar difficulties may
be solved and the removal of the
prisoners may be possible.
In a note dealing with labor ques-
tions Count Won Rrockdorff- -Rantzau
says that the German government
agrees with the allied and associated
governments that the greatest atten-
ton must be paid to these problems.
Internal peace and human progress
depend on how these questions are
handled" the note says.
The note relating to prisoners criti-
cises the clause dealing with the re-
turn of prisoners of war and asks that
they be returned Immediately after
the signing of preliminaries and that
adequate supplies of food and cloth
ing be guaranteed them. 1t is consfo- y
cred in peace conference circles that
the treaty as 1t stands provides am
ply for this point
Says All Should Be in Labor Pact.
Referring to the draft of an agree
ment on international labor compiled
by the German government and pro-
posed by the German league of ma
| tions, the note says: "In order. in the
interest of all of humanity. to put
these principles. and everywhere, into
practice the acceptance of the Ger
man delegation's proposal is certainly
requisite. We consider it necessary
that all states should join in this
agreement, even if they do not belong
to the league of nations.
I'm order to assure the workers for
whom these proposed improvements
are destined cooperation in shaping
these principles. the German delega-
tion considers it necessary to convoke
representatives of the national or
ganizations of the labor unions of all
the contracting parties to a confer
ence at Versailles, even during peace
negotiations, to deliberate and make
decisions on International labor law"
Submits Sealed Communications.
Additional congratulations from the
German peace mission were submitted
today in sealed envelopes through the
French ilaiSOn officers to the French
foreign office. The foreign office alone
is cognizant of the nature of the
documents
Advices from Versailles today stated
that the contemplated trip of Count
Won Brockdorff-RantZau to Germany
was believed there to be imminent.
Already six members of the German
delegation have left for home. They
were the bearers however. of reports,
ETC., and the personnel of the party
was variouSly made up of technical
advisers and assistants to the chief
plenipotentiarieS.