New-York tribune., 1919-01-20
Difference TO Wilson Sh0lUn
AS Peace Council Opened
No Oraory, No Cheering Crowds, but Simple Cere-
mony Marked Beginning of Epocha Sessions;
20 Nations Represented by 20 Delegates

covered table. shaped like the letter
L, with square corners instead OF
curves. At its summit stood trim
figure with small white beard and
grave eyes 1t was Rayonm Poincare,
President of France.
To his right and left extending down
each side of each of the broad arms of
the table, sat the representatives of the
twenty-n nations, ranging from
those whose origins are>- lost IN the
mists Of time down to those who even
now are in their birth throes and
whose peoples have victoriousy with
stood, in one tremendous common effort,
the most terrific assault on all the
world holds dear that human expert
vncc has ever known.
20 Nations, 70 Delegates
The twenty-nine nations are repre-
sented by seventy delegates all told,
who have come together here In Paris
to make over torn, ragged and very
nearly worn-out old world. The task
is the most enormous that ever fell to
the duty Of mankind
Looking on through the three great
arches that break the mass OF red and
gold that forms the side of the room
facing the windows were hundred OF
the newspaper correspondents who have
been drawn to Paris from all quarters
of the globe. Most Of them were from
America. but one Or two had come from
as far East as Japan.
There was but one strange costume
in the assembly. namely the black
robed, pale and yellow turbaned repre-
sentative of the Arab King of Hedjaz,
whose fellow delegate. vAile not dis
pensing with the tYrban insignia of
Mohammedansm was nevertheless
dressed, like the great majority of the
delegates, in European irock coat. The
Indian Mohammedan delegate. in British
uniform, likewise wore turban, but
both the Chinese and Japanese dele
gates. who were the other Asiatlcs
present, were attired III European
clothes.
General Bliss was one of the few
delegates in uniform, though several
British and French, as we'll as American.
officers were present, standing or
seated at the sides pnd ends Of the
chamber. Rear Admiral Grayson seemed
alone to represent the American navy
Colonel Houses seat was vacant. 'the
colonel being stll i'll.
No Effort at OratOry
Without any ceremony, the Presl-
dent of France walked to the place
between President Wilson and Premier
Lloyd George and began his address of
welcome. Neither in NJ Poincare's
speech nor in any that followed was
there any effort or show of oratory,
nor was any address applauded. The
entire assembly stood during the thirty
minutes that NJ. Poincare spoke, after
which the President shook hands with
each delegate before departing.
Frances veteran Premier then took
the chair vacated by NJ. Poincare, and
dent Wilson rose and, in speech
of fifteen minutes, delivered in Eng
lish, proposed Premier Clemenceau's
election as permanent chairman. The
proposal was seconded by Premier
Lloyd George, and NJ Clcmenceau was
unanimously elected by a show of
hands, after which the "Tiger,' in any
thing but ferocious tones, addressed
the assembly for ten minutes.
The session lasted more than two
hours, which was due to the fact that
every speech was translated by the
official interpreter, making the two
languages, French and English equally
official