The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-10

years, beginning May 1, 1921.
 Thus, two of the great obstacles
 which stood in the path of the
 rapid attainment of peace have
 been removed within the last "A
 hours, and the period of extreme
 tension over the inaction and the
 failure to secure tangibIe results
 is succeeded by revived confidence
 over the great advance made to-
 wards a permanent settlement.
 How far these results are due
 to the intimations conveyed by the
 summoning to France of the Unit
 ed States transport George Wash
 inrson by President Wilson is only
 conjecturaI. Hut it is at least a
 coincidence that the main difficult
 ties began to dissolve from the
 time this decision became known.
 The exact nature of these difficult ties are not disclosed. ,lFriends of Pres largely of minor character not in- yolving large principles, though the Presidents adherence to his "A points as the rigid limitation of the scop3 of action appears to have run all through the deliberations during the tense period of the last few days.
 While the tension has been greatly reduced, it is not entirely removed, as much depends on the continuation oi progress with respect to the remain ing obstacles, notably the Sarre val ley, the Rhine frontieF, the Adr1atie issue and a number of lesser issues which are still short of final agree ment.
 COMPROMISE AGREEMENT
 The agreement on responsibilities fol the war is understood to have been 2 compromise between divided reports pre- sented by the commissior4, of Which sec retary Lansing is chairman. There wa; a practical agreement on the general re sponsibility of the German Emperor io' bringing on the war but division oc' cured on whether it was feasible tt bring him to justice before an interna tionaI tribunal.
 The French and British view favored . tribunal. but the American view, 1t l' understood, favored moral indlctmen without recourse to prosecution, owing tt the lack of an international law as basis for trial before an internationa court
 Belgium, on which the war fell first and heaviest, is reported to have taker a view much similar to that Of th' United States, while Japan and ltalA were practically in accord with the Amer ican view.
 It was owing to these divergent view points that the council devised new plan. whereby one of, the allied nations probably Belgium, would initiate prose cution against the former Emperor ant others responsible for the breach O. treaties, the invasion of territory and ths destruction directed against this countr! and leading to more general spread O the war. The exact nature of the agree ment is not disclosed, but the foregolns is believed to cover the main lines.
 The text as finally approved on repar ations specifies that the enemy countries must admit responsibility for all loss ane damage to allied and assOciated nations and their citizens caused by the unjusti liable aggression But, in view Of the Tn ability of the enemy countries fully t' recompense these losses, the claus' states. an inter-allied commission VII assess the losses on a just basis TOT 5 wears, beginning May 1. 1921. with an Tn itiaI payment of $5,000,0o0.
 Germany is to pay the entire cost O the commission and staff during the 5 wears of operations. The first paymen is to be credited against Germanys op ligation to pay for the maintenance the allied troops in the occupied regions and the second priority is for the pay ment of food relief furnished to Ger many. -s