Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-03
Peace Conference Hears
Allied Territorial Claims
France Asks Sarre Valley, 5000, 900, 900 and
DemiiitdrizdtiOn of RhineIdnd - Italy
Wants Part of Ddinidtid NeutrdIized

Maryars. because the Czechs claim that
parts OF German Saxony and German
Slesia belong ethnographcally to the
new State.
Tie Czecho- Slovaks are coming into
opposition to Polish claims in Sllesia
and sections Of Galicia. while to the
northeast Czccho -Slovak expansion has
brought them into contact with this
Ruthenans or Ukrainians In eastern
Galicia. The new State desires expan-
sion southward over n frontage on tie
Danube and over a corridor TO the Adri-
attic.
Tho Poles with an inadequate army
are endeavoring to establish possession
of disputed regions on three sides OF
Russian Poland and Galicia which con-
stitutes the nucleus of the new Polish
state The Poles desire eastern Galicia
to include Lemberg, which is In the
Ukraine. and tho disputed province OF
Cholm. in Little Russia.
To the northeast the Poles desire to
have wilma recognized as Polish. Both
the Lithuanians and Bolshevists have
raised claims to wilma, tho Bolshevists
supporting their pretentions by a
menacng military offensive, The Poles
are contending against the Germans not
only for German Sllesia and Posen and
West Prussia. as provinces populated
chiefly by Poles. but also for the city
of Danzig, so as tC provide Poland with
direct access to the sea.
Should the Poles have Danzig, East
Prussia would be cut off from the rest
or Germany and would remain an
island" populated by Germans sur
rounded by Polish dominions.
BELGIUM
Belgium asks that iler reparation fCr
damages wrought by Germany shall be
the iirSt lien upon German assets to the
extent of at least $4,000, 900 900 francs,
or up TO a much larger sum, If Germany
does not return the machinery and the
materials taken from Belgium. Belgium
believes that she should be paid first,
because she was the first TO be invaded.
because her neutrality was violated and
because she has suffered more from
despoliation than any other country in
the war.
Belgium, having reasserted her inde-
pendence and thus emerged from her old
state of neutrality, desires from Hol-
land the left bank of the Scheldt and
the peninsula Of aastricht which pro-
trudes into Belgian Limburg. Belgium
also VIII assent to plebiscite in LuXem-
burg to decide whether that country
wishes tC join Belgium or France or TO
retain its autonomy.
The foregoing may be considered the
extreme claims OF Belgium. They come
into conflict with Holland, which resists
any arrangements of the frontiers asked
Tor by the Belgian anneNationists. The
government OF Holland appears willing
to revise the Schedt navigation treaty
SO that Belgium should enjoy equal
rights with Holland.
Japan enters the Peace Conference. as
Baron Maxine. the senior delegate, said.
with no territorial ambitions in China"
and that as for Tsing-Tau, "she will
hand it back to China under the terms
Of the notes exchanged between China
and Japan in May. 1915"
This is interpreted by Japan as per-
hitting her to retain certain former
German concessions on the Shantung
Peninsula. Japan, Baron Maxine cx-
plains. neither intends nor desires to
Interfere in Russian affairs, but is willing
II solicited TO aid Russia in restoring
order"
These declarations dispose of two of
tne mann questions IN winch Japan is
interested except that she desires to re-
tain the Southern Pacific islands north
Of the equator which formerly belonged
to Germany.
CHINA
The Chinese delegates ask to he guar
anteed against foreign imperialism or
aggression and desire the gradual aboli-
tion Of consular rights" and to be al
lowed to impose higher duties on impor-
tations. The Chinese also ask for the
return of Kiau-Chau.
SWITZERLAND
switzerland appears to be the only
neutral state which has so far presented
| her desires to tho Peace Conference
! The Swiss Government has represented
/ that whil3 Switzerland would be glad
| to participate in society Of nations, yet
| because Of her mixed nationalities, she
| could not do 50 if that should mean the
use of her troons in policing the world