Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-18
PEACE CONFERENCE
WILL OPEN TODAY
Stage All Set for Momentous
Meeting of Worlds
Statesmen. -
FORMAL SESSIONS OPEN
But Publicity Will Not Be Given
Preliminary Conversations
of Delegates.

set Tor the opening OF the peace con-
gness gnon at n,,S 8 O'clock Tomorrow after
betting bet, such AN eventful occasion
The nnai details were concluded to-
ntgmt nn, at meeting Of the supreme
and adjourned for the inauguration OF
the :, larger body tomorrow.
pleted StGSee'anE sGe aicjoi oi the eo4sress com
gates. IL includes = distinguished
arra!y. array of leading public ngures from
ever? section of the civilized globe
ana in personnel and in the interests
represented. 1t embraces. probably,
ON one Of the most notable gatherings
1t has been tentatively decided that
three representatives of the press OF
,,he allied and associated powers will
conference probably will be organized
In manner similar TO the American
congress with secret committee meet
with formal open sessions and with
executive sessions as in the United
States senate.
The final preparations were con-
| c(nd"h to-day in lhe besutirul Hall
de Ia paix at the Foreign once.
the green table now awaits it's guests.
The opening tomorrow of the con-
rg;resS will be ceremonial function,
the delegates exchanging saIu,ations
"na the Republican Guard. in, gorgeous
uniforms, lending color to the scene.
OF FRANCE.
WILL PRESIDE AT MEETING
When the delegates are installed
around the great horseshoe confer
ence eence table President Poincarc. Of
IRA rance e.; VIII make his entry into the
ficer's chair at the head Of the table
The opening address of NJ. Poincarc
Will souEd TIE glories OF the war iust
won and tell Of the momentous WORK '1s
congress
It is pro:4ble that President poin-
rasSonse rafe ereetings ee hnna VIII call for some
rr,H,sentativcs. in which case President
W. Mais9n Plr,ay may address the gathering for
with the conclusion of NJ Poincare's
address and the response TO It. the
session OF the congress will be de-
enccau will take the presiding, oflicer's
cnair MS head OF the French deIega-
,iGn: i;f such address as NJ. Clemcnceau
me nature Of an initiation of the pro
ceaure OF the congress, such as the
/ ssiec,!on OF oflicers-,-chairman vice
chairman and general secretary
RULES FOR CONGRESS
COMPLETED LAST NIGHT
the report OF the supreme council
on the rules governing the congress
Will then be presented. These were
elaborated At the sessions concluded
tonight. il is expected that they
Will be approved without discussion and
some further establishments in the rep
:astntalions OF the smaller countries
probably will embrace az the work
mony. and the main issues will await
the business session.
The following Official communication
dealing with the peace conference was
issued This evening:
The President OF the United States
Of %, AmeriGn; Am. Si; the Prime Ministers and
powers. assisted by the Japanese am
bassadors in Paris and London. met
at the Q4ai dorsey today. in the
p. NJ. to $40 p. NJ.
The French President of the council
the armistice
THREE: DEII;G ATIIS EACH
rO BELGIUM AND SERBIA
"'rhe meeting decided to give Bel
Gium and Serbia three delegates each
that The King Of the Heia. should be
represented by two delegates. The
question OF the number of delegates
for the various powers thus was finally
established.
The program for the opening con
ference. which will take place at the
in the afternoon. was afterwards ar
ranged.
The meeting finally examined into
the question OF the publicity 10 he
given TO ;he discussions OF the confer.
cnc@. and unanimously approved the
following text 10 he handed to the
press i'll the names Of the five great
powers:
THE representatives Of the allied
and associated powers have given ear
nest consideration 10 the question OF
publicity for the proceedings OF the
peace conference. They are anxious
that the public. through the press.
should have tho fullest information
Compatible with the safeguarding OF
the supreme interest of all. which is
that a just and honorable settlement
should be arrived at with the mini
mum of delay
PEACE CONFERENCE MORE
LIKE CABINET AND LECISLATURE
,''It Is. however. obvious that pub
iiciiy with regard to the preliminary
conversations now proceeding must be
subject to the limitations necessarily
imposed by the difficult and delicate
nature OF their object The proceed-
irSS OF " peace conference are far
more analogous 10 the meetings of n
Cabinet than those OF Legislature
Nobody has ever suggested that Cabi-
net meetings should be held in pub
iic, and. IL tScy were so held the work !
Sihlc
Owe reason why Cabinets are held
Continued on Second ragcJ