The Washington times., 1919-01-18

PARIS, Jan. 1S.-The following o.
,ial communication dealing with II
peace conference was issued Ia'
night: ,
The President of the United
States, the prime ministers. and
foreign ministers of the allied
great powers. assisted by th'
Japanese ambassadors in Paris
and London. met at the Quai
d'Orsay today, in the morning
from 1880 a. m. to 1890 p. M.
and in the afternoon from p. m.
TO $3.50 D. m. rst. &
"The French president OF the
council read out the terms of the
renewal OF the armistice.
The meeting decided to give
Belgium and Serbia three dele
gates each at. the conference. II
was decided also that the King
of the Hedjas should be repre-
sented by two delegates. The
question of the number Of dele.
gates for the various powers thus
was finally established.
"The program for the opening
conference, which will take place
at the foreign office tomorrow at
3 o'clock. in the afternoon. was
afterward arranged
Examines Publicity Question.
The meeting. finally examined
into the question of the publicity
to be given to: the discussions Of
the conference and unanimously
approved the following text to be
handed to the press in the name
of the five great powers:
THE representatives of the
allied and associated powers
have given earnest consideration
to the question OF publicity for
the proceedings of the peace con-
ference. They are anxious that
the public. through the press.
should have the fullest informa-
tion compatible with the SAFE
guarding of tho supreme interest
Of all. which "a that a just and
honorable settlement should be
arrived AT with the minimum Of
delay.
Like Cabinet Meeting.
1t is. however. obvious that
publicity with regard to the pro
liminary conversations now pro-
ceedinE must be subject to the
limitations necessarily imposed
by the difficult and delicate ma
;ure of their object. The pro-
CeedinSs OF peace conference
arc far more analogous TO the
meetings Gf cabinet than TO
those Of q iefis'atUrc. Nobody
has ever suggested that cabinet
meetings should be held in pub
lie, and If they were SO held the
work OF government would be
come imposs bic.
"'One reason why cabinets are
held In private is in order that
difference may be reconciIed and
agreements w. reached before the
stag" OF publicity is begun. The
essence Of the democratic method
is not that the deliberations uf a
government he conducted In Dun-
lie, bCt that ~ conclusions be
subject TO the consideration OF a
popular chamber and To free and
open discussion on the platform
and BY She press.
Not Decided Is! Majority Vote.
Representative or the allied
and associated powers are holding
conversations IN order To solve
questions whiCh infect the vital
interests Of many nations and
upon which they may at present
bold many diverse views These
deliberations cannot proceed hv
the method Of II ma aiority vote. No
nation can be committed c&"rpt
by the free vote or It's own dele.
gates. The conclusions arrived At
In these consultations therefore
can only he formed by the diff
cult process of reaching Pn agree
nrent among al.
This vital process would only
BE- hindeTcd If the discussion Of
every dispu eh question were
opened by public declaration by
each delegation Of its own Ma
tional point OF view. Such a dec
Iaration would in many cases he
followed by premature public con
trOyersy.
This would be serious enough
II II were confined TO controversy
between pa rtics within each state.