The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-03-01
BELGIAN CLAIMS
ARE CONSIDERED
Commission, Headed by Tardieu,
Asks Peace Council for
Instructions.
POLISH QUESTION DISCUSSED
White and Balfour Speak In Favor OF
"open Door" in Morocco so All
Countries Will Have Equal
Trade Facilities.

Paris, Feb. 27.-The commission to
study Belgian claims held its first
meeting and elected Capt. Tardieu as
president. The commission made a
general examination of the scope OF
: Its work and ordered the chairman to
request the supreme council for addi-
tionaI instructions regarding the purs
IL boss ana szsssl q ~ w.
The council OF the great powers con,
tinued the discussion Of Poland and
authorized Marshal Foch to send q
series of inquiries to the interaliied
commission now In Warsaw. Until a
reply is received the question Of get
ting the Polish divisions into Poland
by way Of Danzig will be deferred.
The council also began hearing on
Morocco In which France seeks to
terminate the present unsatisfactory
international supervision. Henry
White for the United States and Ar
thur J. Balfour for Great Britain
spoke in favor of the observance OF
the "open door" In any readjustment.
so that all countries would enjoy
equal trade facilities.
The British prime minister, David
Lloyd George, will return to Paris
Saturday and remain for three days.
Russia will be among the subjects con-
sidered during his stay.
Japanese Get Rights In China.
Japanese financiers are granted the
privilege of making loans to China for
the building of hundreds Of miles OF
railways in Mongolia, Manchuria and
China proper, and the japanese are
granted the right to participate in the
operation of the railways now constr
tuted In Shantung province, under
notes exchanged by Japan and China
on September "a. 1918.
These notes, which are now before
the peace conference, supplement the
treaty and notes of May rs. 1875 be.
tween Japan and China, in which
the Chinese government engaged to
recognize all agreements between the
Japanese and Germans respecting the
disposition of German rights and in
terests in Shantung province.
Baron Goto, Japanese minister OF
foreign affairs. and Tsung Hsiang-
chang. Chinese minister to japan,
signed the three sets Of notes ex.
changed on September "a last year.
One set outlined the new railways
which Japanese capitalists may
finance in Manchuria, Mongolia and
Chill province, north China.
Outlines Roads to Be Capitalized.
The second set outlines the railways
Japanese capitalists may finance in
Shantung province, to connect the ex-
listing German owned lines with the
other principal railway lines in north
China.
The third set stipulates the condi
lions under which japan may partici
pate with China in shantung prov
iince affairs.
~.~~~~~e~e~4N~4~s~~ S~~~-~~s~.~s~~esc
stated that it was necessary that the
United States stand to the support OF
the Czecho-Slovaks, the Jugo-Slavs,
Poland and other weak and struggling
peoples made free as the result Of the
great war. The strength Of the league
would rest on the friendship of Amer
lea, Great Britain. France, Italy and
Japan, the President said, and he ex-
pressed the opinion that serious trou-
| BILE among these five nations was "un-
! thinkable."