The Clio messenger., 1919-01-23
Formal Sessions of the Peace
Congress Begun; League of
Nations Up First. ;.
MANY PLANS ARE PRESENTED
Americans Carefully Safeguarding the
Monroe Doctrine-Poland to Get
Help-Armistice Terms Made
More Drastic-United
States For National
Prohibition.
BysEDWARD w. PIcKARD.

Unless the peace congress, which
held its first formal session on Satur-
day, changes its mind, the world must
be satisfied hereafter with such infor-
nation concerning its deliberations as
is contained in the official communique
issued daily. Possibly because OF a
breach of confidence on the part OF
some correspondent, the supreme al
lied council adopted resolution that
the delegates shall not talk outside the
peace chamber of the doings Of the
conference. The hundreds Of high
priced journalists gathered in Paris
from all parts of the world can devote
their time to describing the majesty
of the Arc de Triomphe and the allure
ments of the Paris boulevards. The
American and British correspondents
formally and energetically protested
against this rigid censorship. Later
the rule may be relaxed, otherwise
the demand for "open covenants of
peace openly arrived at" goes by the
board.
In the preliminary work of the con-
ference the makeup and procedure OF
the congress were settled. 1t was de-
cided that the United States, the Brit
ish empire, France, Italy and Japan
should be represented by five delegates
apiece. The British dominions and In
dia besides are represented as follows:
Two delegates respectively for Aus
tralia, Canada, South Africa and In
dia, including the native states, and
one delegate for New Zealand. Brazil
has three delegates. Belgium. China,
Greece, Poland, Portugal, the Czecho-
Slovak republic. Roumania and Serbia
have two delegates apiece; Siam. Mon
tenegro, Cuba, Guatemala. Haiti, Hon.
duras, Liberia, Nicaragua and Panama
one delegate apiece. The delegates
will vote as units.
A great deal of time last week was
devoted to consideration Of the various
plans for the league Of nations, the
organization of which was the first
matter taken up by the peace dele
gates after they began their formal
sessions, In accordance with the de-
sire Of President Wilson. Many
schemes for the league were submit
ted, these dividing themselves gener-
ally into two groups which differ as to
the means of making effective the de-
cisions Of the league. One holds that
the rulings of the society of nations
should be backed up by its combined
physical forces; the other, that such
force will not he necessary. Iu the ex-
animation of the plans 1t seemed cer-
tain that compromise would not be
difficult to reach.
Prodded by the expressed anxiety of
the senate, the American delegates
carefully examined every scheme sub
mitted to make sure that nothing I'm
them endangered the cherished Monroe
doctrine. They appear to be satisfied
that this American ideal is not imper-
lied and that, on the contrary, the
league would I'm effect extend the prin-
ciple of the Monroe doctrine TO the
whole world. The senate is not SO sure
of this, and Senator Borah, who
strongly opposed the formation of the
league, introduced resolution which,
IL passed, would serve notice that the
senate will not ratify treaty the pro-
visions of which conflict with the Mon
roe doctrine and with the traditional
duty of the United States to enforce
that principle.
IA
The matter Of extending aid to Po-
land was ore OF the serious things dis