New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
France and Great Britain
Would Retain Terrific
ries Seized i'm Far East,
the Pacific and Africa
Bel gium Demands
A Part of Congo
Peace Pact Is Expected To
BE Ready in March;
Maritime and Financial
Commissions Formed

commissions Formed
PARIS, Jan. 27 (By The Associated
Press The peace conference today
made distinct gain when the nineteen
small powers gave full adhesion TO the
organization formulated by the five
great powers, thus securing A united
front Of the great and small powers a.
the outset Of the work on the main
subjects before the members of the
commission
This was largely due to the skiiful
direction of Jules Cambon. French
delegate and former amba ssador AT
Washington. who was designated by the
council of the great powers to preside
over the meeting of the small powers
held this afternoon. This meeting
convened at the Foreign Office at
o'clock, al the same time ;ho
council Of the great powers met the
TWO separate gatherings proceeding
simultaneously, one in the office Of NJ.
Pichon, the Foreign Minister. and the
other IN the Sale de la Paix.
For time there was some approhen
SION Of the sequel TO the diTcren; view
roints expressed at Saturdays con
ference. but to-day's meeting Of the
small powers was without incident or
renewal or the claims then set up for
increased representation on the vari-
Gus committees
Small Nations Represented
Belgium. Serbia. Rumania and all
the other small powers had their full
delegations at the afternoon meeting
NJ. Cambon. in opening the meeting
took occasion 70 alude to the crca.
part Belgium had taken in tho war
He then paid tribute 70 tho par.
played by Serbia. Rumania. Greece
and the other. This dissipated anv
lingering shadows Of disagreement.
and the meeting proceeded with cntlr.
harmony 10 dcs gnate the membership
Of the small powers on the commission.
In the mean time the council Of the
great powers held two sessions during
the day. resulting in the formation oe
Two reU commissions. 70 deal with
financial subjects ard tho question a.
private and maritime law.
While the official communicates GIVE
no indication Of the nature Of tho
question OF maritime law" s. would
seem TO be term embracing President
Wilson's second point Of freedom Of
the seas.
The council also proceeded TO hear
ings on the disposition Of the con-
queled German colonies in the Pacific
snd the F ar East, final conclusion not
being reached.
France and Great Britain. it is dc
clared, are agreed upon at least one
feature Of the solution Of the problem
Of the German colonies. which is. that
under 20 consideration shall the col
onies revert TO Germany. The reasons
advanced for such a decision are var;-
Gus, but prominent among them is that
i would render It impossible for Ger
many to establish submarine bases IN
her colonial possessions. The Ameri-
can attitude Is as yet unrevealed.
France Would Take Kamerun
A prominent official declared to The
Associated Press day that should the
Franco British viewpoint prevail. the
German Kamerun would be taken over
by the French, in accordance with an
agreement reached by Great Britain
and France. Belgium lays claim to that
part of the Congo which she conquered
by force of arms, the Belgian troops
having captured Tabora and the terri
tory lying beyond the western slopes
of Lake Victoria Nyanza The Belgians
also desire strip Of territory along
the left bank of the Congo. the delimi-
tation. of course, TO be settled amicablv
with Portugal. territorial compensa-
ton being given the latter.
The Council of Ten. as the French
now call the ministers Of the five Great
Powers. had before it for consideration
to-day in executive session among
other things the questions of terrific. .
rial adjustments. the abolition Of cor
scription and the economic recon
struction of Germany. These aucs-
tions. in accordance with the settled
method of procedure, will be referred
by the council to suitably picked com
missions