Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-12
RECOMMENDATIONS OF LABOR
COMMISSION TO CONFERENCE
IS THE next IMPORTANT STEP
Meeting. Being Held, By Men
Called To Paris By Wilson
And Premiere To Discuss
Financial Problems Crow
ing Out OF The War;.

Paris, Feb. 12.-(By the Associated
Press )-While President Wilson and
the Allied premiers and generals are
perfecting the plan for creation of q
society of nations. arranging the new
terms to be imposed upon Germany
for a renewal of the armistice, expir-
ing Monday, other subjects Of inn
portance are being prepared. 1t. is
expected that the conference will
spend little time discussing them;
on to the society Of nations when
the latter has been created and is
ready to function.
Foremost on this secondary pro-
gram are the recommendations Of
the commission of international labor
legislation. The commission is one
of the few having an American at
chairman, has been pushing work
along at fast pace, so that he may
have report to present to the peace
| conference as soon as it is ready to
| receive it. ~
There have been dificulties in
reconciling the diverse views Of Brit.
ish and American labor interests. as
each is radical in some respects and
yet conservative in others, in the
opinion of some labor leaders.
Meetings are going on today be.
tween men who have come to Paris
at the call of President Wilson and
the premiers to deal with great finan-
cial problems arising out of the war.
Every delegation admits the gravity
of the problems presented and the
absolute necessity for their settlement
II the world is to b esaved from unf-
versal bankruptcy. In no place IL it
regarded as SO evident that there
must be the fullest and most cordial
cooperation than in the efforts to re-
or no
duce prices to reasonable level, get
rid of superfluous issues of war pa
per, prevent further excessive fluctua-
tlons of exchange to regulate the
rate interest on, and the amount Of
bonds to be issued.
Already initial steps have been tax
en- to commit the peace conference to
the adoption OF great international
pooling system of debts which shall
include all neutral nations. whether
they wish to or not. This will meet
with the most determined resistance
from the American delegates, who
feel that America did her full share
in aiding the Allies by furnishing
troops and almost unlimited supplies
of money and material.
l. They are understood to be. quits
Willing to ride France OF the night
4 ttsmare Qf .GeEnen -l,oNnr I'm extending
ttfynthef dreditB to p{tmi& Franeesf 10
Sehabilitate her industries and enable
her and Belgium as well, to hold their
own in the worlds market, but they
thoroughly appreciate the fact that it
is beyond their power to commit their
country to participation in any none
tary credit system with European
powers. They also feel that some Of
these countries have been derelict in
note imposing, as the United States
and Great Britain did, additional tax
es upon their own people during the
war to meet, at least in part, their
obligations, instead Of calculating up
on reimbursement from indemnities
to be collected from the enemy.
The revival of the spirit Of the old
Paris economic conference, which
planned boycotts and after the war
Determinations, is sometimes in evi-
dence during discussions. It made its
appearance in the desire Of one coun-
try to impose discriminatory duties on
enemy commerce during the consid-
Grafton Of plan to make all interna-
tional waterways open for all nations
on even terms. This was regarded as
a violation of one of the IA points. but
the commission dealing with the sub
ject is having some difficulty in pass
ing this point. However. the general
acceptance of the principle of inter-
national control over such waterways
is believed to have paved the way for
ultimate agreement in the commits
sion upon a report which will prob
ably be received with approval by the
peace conference OR its legatee, the
society of nations.