Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-04-11
coNFEREEs NEAR AGREEMENT.
Some of tho Most vexsd Points of DIFF.
ference Have Been Settled.


ference Have Been Settled.
The responsibility Of the German
emperor for the war and the means
for bringing him to trial by one Of the
Allied governments, probably Belgium,
have been definitely determined upon
by the council Of four. is the Information
contained in an Associated Press dis
patch Of Wednesday night from Parts
This follows the definite decision on
the terms OF reparation for war dam
ages. whereby $4,000, 900, 900 must bs
paid within the next two years, and an
inter ALLIED commission assess the re-
manning damage for a period Of thirty
years, beginning May /, 1921.
Thus two Of the great obstacles
Wnlch stood In the path Of the rapid
attainment OF peace have been remoy-
ed within the last twenty -four hours
and the period Of extreme tension over
the inaction and the failure to secure
tangible results Is succeeded by reyiy-
ed confidence over the general advance
made towards q permanent settlement
HOW Tar these results are due to the
lnumations conveyed by the summon
Ing to France Of the United States
transport George Washington by Pres
ident Wilson Is only conjectural. But
II Is at least coincidence that the
main difficulties began to dissolve from
the time that this decision became
known.
The exact nature Of these difficulties
are not disclosed. Friends Of the pres
ident maintain they were largely of a
minor character, not involving large
principles, though the presidents ad-
herence to his fourteen points" as the
rigid limitation Of the scope of action
appears to have run all through the
deliberations during the tense period
Of the last few days.
While the tension has been greatly
reduced, 1t Is not entirely removed, as
much depends on the continuation Of
progress with respect to the remaining
ebsta cles, notably the Saar valley, the
Rhine frontier, the Adriatic issue and
number Of lesser issues which are
still short Of final agreement.
The agreement on responsibilities
for the war Is understood to have been
compromise between divided reports
presented by commission Of which
Secretary Lansing is chairman. There
was g. practical agreement on the gen.
eral responsibility Of the German en-
peror for bringing on the war, but d.
vision occurred on whether II was
feasible to bring him to Justice before
an international tribunal
The French and British view favor
ed tribunal, but the American view,
1t Is understood, favored moral indict-
ment without recourse to prosecution
owing to the lack of an international
law as a basis for trial before an in
ternational court.
Belgium, on which the war fell first
and heaviest, Is reported to have taken
view much similar to that Of the
United States, while Japan and Italy
were partially in accord with the
American view.
1t was owing to these divergent View
points that the council devised q new
plan, whereby one Of the Allied ma
tions, probably Belgium, would initiate
prosecution against the former empe-
ror and others responsible for the
breach Of treaties, the invasion Of ter
ritory and the destruction directed
against this country and leading to a
more general spread Of the war. The
exact nature Of the agreement is not
disclosed, but the foregoing is believed
to cover the main lines.
The text as finally approved on rep
aration specifies that the enemy coun-
tries must admit responsibility for all
loss and damage to Allied and associa-
ted nations and their citizens caused
by the unjustifiable aggression. But.
in view Of the inabilit- Of the enemy
countries fully to recompense these
losses, the clause states, an inter-Al-
lied commission will assess the losses
on just basis for 80 years, beginn-
ming May 1, 1921, with an initial pay
ment Of $4,000, 100000.
Germany is to pay the entire cost Of
the commission and staff during the
80 years Of operations. The first pay
ment is to be credited against Ger
manys obligations to pay for the
maintenance Of the Allied troops in
the occupied regions, and the second
priority is for the payment Of food re-
lief furnished to Germany.