Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-09


 reace congress will begin on Thurs day. These conferences will probably be President Wilson's only official ac- tivity prior to the beginning of the weather is good, but will deny him. self to all callers and will cut all oth- CT business to q minimum. ! As the conference approaches the stage where informal agreement which will have an important bearing on final settlements will be reached, there seems Co be excellent authority for saying tha tplans for the settle ment of the most important question: the League of Nations, the freedom of the seas, and disarmament-are still very indefinite.
 Il is true that several propositions are being put forward for the adjust, ment of these matters but there Is none having the color of official sanc- ton. If Mir Wilson has drawn up any specific plans he has not divulged them to anybody and it is known he is closely studying various suggestions that are advanced by others. This is not necessarily to be construed as meaning that the president is without definite ideas on the subjects under consideration but ralhe5 that lie has beer giving thought to the governing principles and keelins an open mind so as to benefit from ideas coming from Ill sources
 Tine American commission has been gathering material constantly and this is to be ready in memorandum form for the presiden: when he goes to the coming conferences. The best information ohtainable as to confer ences so far keld with British and Italian statesmen is that they were very satisfactory developing no diff ferences as to principles involed. 1t has been noted that MT. Wilson in all his speeches has emphasized the fact that there is perfect agreement as to main points.
 Those near the president have been eager to send to America some detail ed statement of what has been ac- complshed since his coming to Flu rope, but it' has been explained that negotiations at present are of such character that it would be unwise to discuss matters still in the fOrma- tive stage.
 The peace conferences will, among things, probably decide on the date of the opening of the formal sessions of the conference, the extent to which they will be open and other details which are of great interest to the public.
 The peace conference, according to present arrangements, will open with an exchange of views between the ministers of the four great powers con cering organization, composition ana procedure. These exchanges are eX- pected to take up the time from Jan uary 13 to January IS. In the event of an agreement being reached on January IS there will be plenary meeting at which all the powers who broke relations with the Central Pow CTS will be admitted. At that time, definite composition of the delegates of each nation will be settled.
 It is virtually certain that France, Great Britain. the United States, laly, and Japan will have five delegates each. Other nations, such as Be gium, Serbia, Greece, Rumania and Portugal will have three delegates. The country which severed relations with the Central Powers and did not engage directly in the war, will have two representatives.
 Secretary of State Lansing, Colonel b. M. House and Lord Robert Cecil, who has made the subject Of the League of Nations a special duty on behalf of the British government, held a long conference today regarding the details to be worked out in forming a league. Their conference followed consultations between President Will son and Colonel House last evening.
 President Wilson will hold informal conferences with David Lloyd George, the British premier, Premier Clemen- ceau of France and Premier Orlando of Italy the latter part of this week.
 The representation of the various nations at the peace conference Will he decided upon at the conferences that now are in progress here. That is the first question to be decided. The subject of league of nations, it is stated will be taken up as one of the earliest questions afterward to be considered.
 Other important questions to be dealt with in the early stages of the conferences. after the league of na- ,tions are those of boundaries, neutra- lization of international waterways and use of the high seas.
 Premier Orlando and Foreign Min