Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-09
COMES FIRST
IN PARIS PEACE TALK
Big Problems Now Before Con
fcrccs: Preliminary Parlcys
Are Expected Soon.


PARIS. Jan. 9.--Despite the efforts ot
his physician. President Wilson could not
| be forced To take full days rest yester-
| dav Late in the afternoon he walked
! with Mrs Wilson to the headquarters
| Of the American Mission at the Hotel de
| Crilon, where he had conference with
the other members. During the walk
| the President was recognized by 'he
crowds and returned their greetings.
| The President spent qrnet and reHtfui
morning He saw no one officially, ana
| his only activity was dictatiop to his
stenographers.
MANY important questions concerning
| the arrangement OF the program Tor the
| Peace Conference, which have been IN
| process of solution, will probably he settled
| soon ae a result of President Wilson s
return to Paris. The President now has
| personal knowledge Of the views oi some
| of the PromierS on these subjects, and he
has supplcmented it ny his observations
during his trip TO Italy
IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH AMERICANA
The President during his journeys to
| England and italy kept III close touch
| with the members Of the American peace
| delegation IN Paris. and it Is evident from
the expressions of officials that the settle
mcnt of various matters will make prog
ress more rapidly from now on.
The Presidents informal talk with
Colonel House Tuesday night dealt with
tho attitude of Premier Clemenceau and
Lord Robert Cecil regarding League
of Nations. The conference gave the
President fresh information concerning
their views.
Yesterday Colonel House and Secretary
Lansing conferred with Lord Robert, who
is the British authority on a League OF Ma
tions. So it may be regarded As certain
that the program is making progress, and
that in few DAYS matters Will bc IN shape
for the first steps Of the conference.
PRESIDENT TO MEET AIDS.
The FIRST meeting between President
Wilson and his aids and the Entente
Premiers NAV occur at the end of this week
some reports say tomorrow. These
conferences Will be informal and will carry
forward. in a spirit Of accommodation, the
discussions which have taken place during
the Presidents absence between lndlvduals
| cf the delegations and also between groups
The meetings are expected 10 develop
| great importance later, but at present II
NAV be said that results OF value have
been reached, and that the ground has
been cleared for the beginning OF the
actual negotiations.
Then must come uues lions Of League
| Of Nations, which is regarded a. the foun-
dation on which must be erected the
structure Of q permanent peace treaty
and the adjustment Of boundaries TO meet
conditions after the war.
The next subject to engage atten-
ton as next in Importance, Is the neu-
! s-E
the conferees having especially IN mlnc
the Dardanelles and perhaps the Scheid'
and the Danube littoral
Probably next among the subjects tt
receive attention will be ''use of the
high seas" 1t may be significant that
this phrase is now being adopted instead
Of the older freedom Of the seas but
It is not vet possible to ascertain IN what
the distinction Is TO consist.
FUNDAMENTALS IN Early CONF ERENCEs
The informal meetings will arrange
the program that will govern the Peace
Congress itself. subject to approva
! when all the delegates formerly gather
The japanese delegates, already here
have been participating IN some OF tbs
discussions between the groups. II
assumed that they have been consulted
in the preparation OF the program.
II has been agreed that the first matte
to be considered at the meeting OF Presi
dent Wilson and the Premiers will b
the representation 70 be accorded tC
powers seeking participation IN th'
Peace Congress. The meeting OF tn
council viii be postponed until tn
arrival Of Lloyd George.
AMERICANS GATHERING aATf RIAL
The American commission has beer
: gathering material constantly, and thl
: IS TO be- ready in memorandum form
, for the President when he goes to tn
5 conferences. The best information q
to conferences thus far held with Brltis
T and Italian statemen, is that they wer
very satisfactory, developing no difference
: az TO principles. 1t has been noted tina
| Mr.. Wilson, in all his speeches, has en-
, phasized the fact that there Is periec
agreement as to main points.
, Those near the President have bee
! eager TO send to America some detalie
: statement of what has been accom-
, | plished since his coming to Emope, bu
Il has been explained that negotiation
at present are of such character tha
| il would be unwisc TO discuss matter
{ still in the formative stage
EXCHANGE or vIEws FIRST
The real Peace Conference, accord
ing TO present arrangements, VIII opel
With an exchange OF views betweel
the Ministers of the four great power
9 concerning organization, composition
and procedure These exchanges ar
expected 70 take up the time from Jan i
TO Jan lS
In The event Of an agreement bein
reached on Jan Is there will be picnaT
meeting at which al the powers tina
: broke of relations with the Centra
Empires will bc represented. At tha
: tune the composition Of the delegation
!, of each nation will he settled.