Evening star., 1919-03-12
Only Powers in War Will
Sit at Preliminary Meeting
of the Peace Conference
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 11.--A sitting of the
peace conference is now contemplated
before the final completion of the
terms of peace to be presented to
the Germans. according to Reuters
Paris correspondent. The explana-
ton of this step as given by an au-
thoritative British source is that the
question of peace with Germany is
one that concerns only the powers
that took part in the war against
her, and that it is unnecessary 10 re-
Quire the conference to permit the
delegates of other countries to take
part in deliberations in which they
have no direct interest.
The same authority Is of the opinion
that even at Versailles. when the
terms are presented, the meeting may
be confined to the German delegates
and the representatives of the entente
allies and the powers associated with
them in the war.
"Trillion" Francs Sought.
The consideration of reparations by
the supreme council is set for Satur-
day, though this question may go be-
yond that time. The consideration OF
reparations has introduced the word
'triilion" in recognizing money, PROB
ably for the frst time in any single
financial operation, for. although mil
lions and billions often have been
used in war finance, no sum has yet
been reached touching a trillion.
In estimating the war losses of all
the powers the first figures of one OF
the great powers aggregated a tril-
lion francs, and those of another
power were slightly above a hall
trilIion francs, namely, 6oo.000,0o0.0 .00o
francs. These first estimates have
gradually been reduced until the pres
ent aggregate covering the loss for
all countries is about one-fifth of the
first highest estimate, and in final
form probably will be in the neigh
borhood Of thirty-five or forty billion
dollars.
The final figure has not yet been
written into the committee report, but
has been left in blank and expressed
as *" so that an insert may be made
when there is an understanding as to
the formal decision on the amount to
be exacted.
League Covenant Separate.
The covenant of the league of ma
tions does not figure as a part OF the
peace treaty, but will be treated sepa-
rately, although the treaty makes fire.
uuent reference to the duties which
are to be intrusted to theh league.
France has abandoned, for the pres
ent at least, any hope OF having her
great war debt shared by the allies.
II is authoratively asserted by one OF
the Americans attending the confer
ence that W hat had been an embarras-
sing possibility has now been definite
!y eliminated from the deliberations
although t is possible that France
might at some future time attempt to
secure assistance.
The project has never been fully
presented at the conferences, but con-
Variations held at intervals since the
conference began have served as a
medium for the presentation Of the
French point Of view. The British and
American delegations have been quite
frank in their disapwoval and have
ouenly said that the people of their
countries would be slow ito indorse
such a plan
Col. Ryan to Aid Mr.. Hoover.
The supreme war council having
designated Herbert Hoover for the Of
flee of relieving the food situation
throughout Austria, Mr.. Hoover has
snnointed col. Ryan of the American
Army as executive officer in charge of
the work
Col. Ryan will be assisted by liaison
officers of various allied nationalities.
THE ,,,an Is not to operate the rail-