The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-04-19
WILSON TO SAIL
FOR U. s. APRIL II
Enemy Called to Sign Treaty,
Says Statement by
Big Four.
SET APRIL rs AT VERSAILLES
France Agrees to Peace Zone Along
the Hhine-Premier ciemen-
ceau Satisfied With the
Settlement.

intends to sail for the United States
April II or % after being present at
the opening meeting of the peace con.
gress at Versailles, Echo de Paris says,
After his departure E. M. House will
act for him, the newspaper adds. The
council Of four of the peace confer
ence went into session again, with
the question of the Adriatic for con-
sideration.
Wilson Says Peace Is Near.
Paris, April ia statement by
President Wilson in behalf Of the
Council of Four says the questions of
peace are SO near complete solution
that they will be quickly and finally
drafted
The announcement was contained In
an official bulletin, which added that
the German plenipotentiaries had been
invited to meet at Versailles on April
25.
The statement follows:
I'm view Of the fact that the ques-
tAVhb NAiCn lAuSI pC oCtLiCo Ah thN
peace with Germany have been
brought so near to complete solution
that they can now quickly be put
through the final process of drafting
those who have been most constantly
In conference about them have decid
ed to advise that the German pleni-
potentiaries be invited to meet the
representatives of the associated bel
ligerent nations at Versailles on
April rs.
This does not mean that the many
! other questions connected with the
general peace settlement will be In;
|teeynafea nn Iaa z1lel conaI aerstief
which has long been underway, will
be retarded.
ION the contrary it Is expected that
rapid progress will now be made with
those questions, so that they may also
presently be expected to be ready fol
final settlement.
ut is hoped that the questions most
directly affecting Italy, especially the
Adriatic questions, can now be brought
to a speedy agreement.
"The Adriatic question will bt
given for the time precedence ovel
other questions and pressed by con
tinual study to it's final stage.
1.-The settlements that belong espe
cially to the treaty with Germany will
In this way be got out of the way al
the same time that all other settle
ments are being brought to com
plete formulation.
ut Is realized that though the
process must be followed, all the ques
tons Of the present great settlement
are parts of single whole"
Indemnity Is Fixed.
One hundred billion gold marks
($25, 0OO, 000,00O) Is the amount Ger
many must pay the allied and associ
ated governments for losses and dam
age caused in the war, plus other bill
lions to be determined by special
commission on which Germany is ia
be represented.
This final conclusion has been re
duced to writing after weeks Of ne
COLLATION. which took a wide range
and involved frequent changes ant
notifications. The payment Of thu
100, 600, 100000 gold marks is to be di
vided into three amounts, as follows
First, twenty billions ($5,0OO.0OO,
O00) within two years.
Second, forty billions ($10,OO00O0.
OO0) during 30 years beginning In 1921
Third, forty billions 100000 600,
OOO) when a commission shall deter
mine how 1t shall be done.
Germany must pay the $5.000,0O0.
600 before May l, 1921. She mus
also issue Immediately to the allied
and associated governments $4,000,
100000 of interest-bearing bonds.
The interest on the bonds until 1921
will be either 2 or 5 per cent and aftel
| that date will be per cent.
Rhine to Be Zone Of Safety.
1t was stated In authoritative quar-
tiers that satisfactory agreement
had been reached on the question Of
the Rhine frontier, thus removing thu
last of the main obstacles In the way
to the peace treaty.
Premier Clemenceau called on Col
onel House and expressed himself al
entirely satisfied with the settlement
| This Indicates that the French will sc
cure guarantees which will protec
them adequately against renewed Ger
man aggression.
The agreement is believed to In
clude complete demilitarization o.
both banks of the Rhine extending
rs miles east of the river and through
out the German sections along tn,
west bank, In which there will be n,
1 a ~ +lasc 40 4uonre ard ~ aa,n