The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-14
FOCH GOES TO EXTEND
ARMISTICE TERMS
Much of the Conversation at
the Conference Has Taken
Place in French, So That
Wilson and Lansing Were
Helpless. |

Paris, Jan. l4.-Russia may be repre-
sented, together with all the other ma
tions that were engaged in the war
against Germany, at the first formal
meeting of the peace conference Wheth-
er Russia will have present at that time
a delegation OF prominent Russians, ir-
respective of party, or other spokesman
if any, probably will be decided at the
next meeting preliminary to the con
gress. This will be held tomorrow be
cause of the opening of the session Of the
French Parliament to-day.
The first question to come up before
the actual peace conference viii be that
of the proposed league of nations, and it
was made known to-day that it had been
planned for the conferees to devote II
hours daily to this work If necessary,
until it is on the way to completion.
Marshal FoCh, the allied commander
in-chief, to-day is on the way to his
headquarters at Treves to meet the Ger
man delegates and lay down terms for
the extension of the armistice. The
terms provide for the turning over of the
German commercial fleet TO transport
troops, in exchange for food for the res
titution of material taken from France
and Belgium, and for full compliance
with the terms Of the original armistice
A start has been made on the maehin-
cry through which the American public
win learn of the doings of the peace con
ference. 1t has been decided to issue a
joint communique, prepared by a COM
mittee representing all the nations, this
to be the sole official outgiving presi-
dent Wilson has also decided to eommu-
nicate with the representatives of the
American newspapers, of which there are
more than 100 in Paris, through a pub
licity agent. Ray Stannard Baker, for
mer magazine writer, has been selected
as the agent.
The plan, as announced to-day, is for
President Wilson or some member of the
American mission to communicate to Mr..
Baker such details of the proceedings as
were not embraced in the communiques
and which the president desires to make
public Mr. Baker win convey the infor-
nation to the correspondents who win
not have original contact with the source
of information.
An interesting feature of yesterday 3
meeting, as also of Sundays, was that
more than two hours of the discussion
was conducted in French, of which nei-
ther President Wilson nor Secretary of
State lansing had conversational
knowledge and which David Lloyd George,
the British premier, understands only to
a limited extent. All the conversations
concerning the renewal of the armistice
were conducted in French,
The French press to-day gives Presi-
dent Wilson credit for the decision by
which Brazil secures three delegates to
the peace congress and for that placing
the number Of committees at five, in
stead Of at 20, as the French plan pro-
posed. The Figaro says that when the
question of the publicity of treaties and
secret diplomacy was discussed, Presi-
dent Wilson, while supporting the ma
iority in favor of secrecy, expressed the
opinion that treaties should be public
although negotiations leading up to them
called for the exercise of a certain dis
Cretion.