The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-02-01
Russian Factions Are Invited to
Confer With Commission
From the Allies.
ON SEA OF MANMORA ISLAND
Must First Cease Military Operations
Majority Socialists Vlctors in
German Elections British
Plan for League of Nations
Presented-lrish Par
Lament Meets.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


Realizing that they cannot establish
peace in the world while Russia Is at
war with herself and her neighbors,
the supreme council Of the peace con-
gress has invited all Russian factions
to send representatives to the Princes
islands in the sea Of Marmora, that
they may there confer with representa-
tiyes of the associated powers with a
view to bringing about an understand
ing by which Russia may work out her
own purposes in peaceful ways. It
was stipulated that the Russian
factions must first cease all military
action, and the invitation made plain
that the allied powers had no intention
or desire Of interfering with the right
Of the Russians to settle their differ
ences in their own way. February Is
was set as the date Of the opening of
the conference.
This solution of the Russian prob
lem was presented to the supreme
! council by President Wilson and in the
main is on the lines Of the action pro-
posed by Premier Lloyd George. AT
| first the French, WHO admittedly are
! afraid of the spread Of bolshevism in
their own country, were opposed to
treating in any way with the Russian
bolsheylsts, but they yielded to the
opinion of the majority. 1t was be-
lieved that the contending factions
would accept the invitation, since their
resources are nearly exhausted. The
bolsheviki were severely defeated very
! recently in northern Russia, and there
are numerous and extensive peasant
risings against their rule in the terri
tory they have controlled.
1t is understood that the allied com
mssloners who will meet the Russians
will state these four conditions as be-
ing indispensable in bringing about an
adjustment:
First-Peace at all points.
SecOnd-Removal of all economic
barriers which restrain the free circu-
Iation or exchange Of food and com
modities between the fractional zones
and the outside world.
Third--General elections on repre-
sentative basis.
Fourth--Some adequate arrange
ment for the payment Of debts.
The plan of the supreme council
was very badly received by the anti
bolshevik Russian leaders now in
Paris. Their comments were bitter In
the extreme and Sergius Sazanotf, rep
resentative Of the governments of
Ekaterinodar and Omsk, declared he
would not sit in conference with the
traitors who had betrayed his country
-R--
Decision was reached by the su
preme council last week on another
very troublesome matter-the Polish
question. 1t was determined to seno
at once to study this problem a mis-
sion composed of a military and civil
delegate from the United States, Great
. Britain, France and Italy. Probably
IL the Russian bosheyiki remain recall
citrant, the Polish state will be SCI
up as a strong barrier between then
and western Europe.
Ea-
The Temps of Paris said last week
that the peace congress is likely tc
create two commissions, one on the
league of nations and one on the com,
pensation Germany must pay. II
added that the American delegates
also proposed commissions on terri
torial questions, on overseas terrltor-
( les and on responsibilities. 1t is said
| in Paris that the American delegates
are not yet satisfied as to the respon-
sibility of the former kaiser and his
chiefs for the war. In this matter they
are likely to find themselves opposed