Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-09
CONFERENCE IS TO
BE HELD SHORTLY
CONTINUED from First Page.l

TContinucd from First Pagc.]
out that the committee will be COM
posed of the premiers and foreign
ministers of the allies. Mr.. Wilson |
figuring as American premier.
AS regards questions concerning
enemy countries, it is understood that !
those concerning Germany will be !!
taken up first. then those of Austria /
Hungary, and finally those of Bull |
garia and Turkey. These details, |
however, probably will not be decid-
ed upon until the league of nations
part of the program has been ex-
hausted.
Peace May BE last Step
1t is not expected that the pre-
miers' conference will deal with more
than the most general principles of
tn peace settlement. In fact, it now
seems doubtful if more than a broad,
general agreement will be reached
before President Wilson returns to
America in February. out of the
coming conferences 1T is expected
that a more or less tentative pro-
gram will be adopted, which divide
the work of the peace congress into
successive steps. The actual making
of peace with the Central Powers
may be the last of these steps.
The procedure now being dis
cussed is roughly as follows.
First, n general agreement be-
tween the United States and the
Entente Eelligcrcnts for the crc-
alton OF a League of Nations, or
similar machinery, to enforce
the terms of peace and preserve
1t.
Second, the setting up of new
independent states growing out
of the war.
Third, the assessment of dam
ages and indcmnitieS and the
manner of their payment.
Fourth, the conclusion of
peace treaties with the Central
Powers.
| Governments Must Satisfy
| The peace treaties may be left to
the last because none of the agree
ments can bind the Central Powers
unless. in the meantime, they have
established governments which sat
isfy the peace congress as to their
stability and purpose of carrying out
the treaties made.
Lord Cecil Arrives
Lord Robert Cecil, who has arrived
here with the first section of the
British peace delegation, expressed
the opinion to the Associated Press
that the definite organization of q
[ League of Nations is indispensable as
a first step toward enduring peace
and satisfactory settlement of inter-
national problems.
Lord Robert made it clear that his
statements were personal views and
not official.
Joint Action Necessary
Joint international action in an
organized and recognized form is
necessary" he said, lin order to re-
lieve millions of people who are des-
titute of food and other necessaries
of life owing to the unsettled condi-
tion of the world; TO regulate per-
manently many common interests.
such as international railways, posts,
waterways, telegraph and wireless,
the use of the air. public health and
the protection of women and juve-
niles in industry; and to discharge
adequately and justly the RESPONSE
! bilities of the great civilized nations
in such a great matter as the pro-
, lection and guidance of backward
peoples. 1t is the sum of all these
recognized joint activities, interests
and responsibilities that we call by
the name of League of Nations 1T
is our business to give this league
definite form here and now"
, Lord Robert showed that he has
little symapthy with the views that
the peace congress may gradually
drift into a prolonged session which
will ultimately become n League of
; Nations without being definitely and
positively organized.
This impresses me as being n. time
, for the creation of a body which will
be effectively organized and not al
lowed 10 drop into inaction," he said
I'VE are, moreover, anxious not To
commit the democratic peoples to
responsibilities they are not pre-
pared. deliberately and consciously
to accept. 1t is, therefore, important
to avoid vaguencss and to define oui
policy clearly and openly"
Asked how far armaments can be
limited by League of Nations, Lord
Robert replied:
, That, in my opinion, is probably
the most difficult problem the peace
congress will face. Individual nations
will hardly be willing to disarm until
they are sure of peace and justice
through the operation of the league
Moreover. how can any limitation ot
armaments be actually enforced?
w nat assurance can De nave, 1Ol
instance, that Germany will not Gre
ate an army more or less secretly?
The world did not know how ex.
tensiVely Germany was preparing for
war. She might develop another force
under the guise of militia. We must
endeaNor earnestly TO secure cooper
alton between the powers represent
ed at the congress in broad policy
of mobilization which will CORE.
spond with the yearnings of all peo-
Piles to be relieved as soon as nos
scible from the burdens they have
borne for these last four and a half
years.
Lord Robert said the conditions
We're the same with naval forces.
The French delegates to the Peace
Congress, 1t is understood, will be the
following; Georges Clemenceau, the
Premier:. stephen Pichon, Foreign
Minister; Louis Lucien Klotz, FL
nance Minister; Henry Simon. Minis
ter of Colonies; Andre Tardieu
! French high commissioner to the
United States.
The technical representatives. will
include Marshal Foch, for military
matters, and Leon Bourgeois, for the
subject of the society of nations.
! OFFICIAL announcement of the compL-
sition Of the delegation is expected
! shortly.
| At this point arises the question
| of how long fba naooa oop.r,a... -, ~