The sun., 1919-03-05
WILSON PLACES
GAG ON HOUSE .
: AND LANSING
Cables Colonel He Is Con-
WINGED People Overwhelm-
ingly Back League.
MESSAGE is SURPRISE
American Correspondents
Send Opposite Tips to French
and. British Papers.
BY LAURENCE HILLS.
Star Correspondent Of THE SUN

Star Correspondent Of THE SUN.
Copyright. 1919; oil rights reserved.
PARIS. March president Wilson's
return to Paris is awaited now with an
interest and expectancy scarcely ex-
ceeded by that which marked his flrst
advent in Europe. This Is because of the
tremendous questions that are pressing
for solution, but have been held up on
the Presidents account
Interest In the Presidents departure
from America was accentuated to-day
when II became known that the Presi-
dent on the eve Of sailing. had cabled
to Col. e. NJ. House, who is acting as
his representative here, that he Is con-
WINGED the American people are over
whelmingly behind the League Of Ma
lions
Col. House has shown the cablegram
to close friends with great satisfaction.
II caused some surprise. because Amer
lean correspondents Of the British and
French papers in the last few days have
thrown some doubt on the outcome of
the issue. neayly all agreeing that the
President has not changed the opposi-
ton.
wants Decisions Postponed.
In mission circles the House cablegram
10 accepted as an indication that the
President does not intend to suggest
many changes in the covenant Of the
league when he arrives here. While the
President Is on the ocean neither Col.
House nor Secretary Lansing will make
any comment for the United States on
any pending question, the President hav-
ing asked by cable that all decisions be
postponed until he arrived In Paris.
The questions now awaiting decision are
SO numerous and so important that there
10 much scepticism In the newspapers
as to whether this programme can be
followed. The Russian, the Rhine and
the Jugo-Slav problems all have been
held up for the Presidents arrival.
Each is bristlng with perplexities and
is likely to cause long discussion.
The freedom OF the seas also, II now
appears. has not been limited by the
league plan. as the President intimated
to his friends. The French intend TO
bring II UP and to demand a new codi-
fcation of sea rules. They point out also
that the present covenant sanctions the
arbitrament of war in certain cases.
hence sea rules are important and the
present uncertainty is giving rise to
much dissatisfaction.
Setting of the stage.
With the arrival Of Premier Lloyd
George tomorrow evening and of Pre-
mier Orlando at the end OF the week the
stage will be set for President Wilson s
second advent and the climax of the
Peace Conference.
The Temps pc nts out that the bases
OF peace still are in suspen sion. namely
the League of Nations and German dis.
armament. and It calls particular atten.
ton to the situation In the United States
saying that when the President invokei
the new Congress he will find the major
ity opposed to his policy. 1t adds:
"In this assemblage, to which thu
treaty must be submitted, It Is Senator
Lodge who will be the principal authorit,
on foreign policy and ne has Just criti
sised severely the draft upon which the
League Of Nations Is supposed to rest"
Europe's Financial Problem.
The more the financial problem II
Europe Is studied the more colossal Il
appears. The American financial ex
perts OF the peace mission. since they
have been brought face to face Will
the problem and its divergent In
terests. are not inclined to view thu
situation enthusiastically. saying that 1t /.
bad enough as a purely financial ques
ton. but with politics injected into II, 4
seems at times well nigh hopeless.
Frank A. Vanderlip, who came TO Lon
don to study financial conditions to de
termine II 1t was advisable that New
York banking interests should exten,
private credit here in order to encourage
the resumption of business. found finan
cial conditions so chaotic that he decide,
before he sailed for home II would b
most unwise to make any advances.
An American financier connected witt
the peace mission said II should be ad
rupt and she might as we'll hang out tn
red flag. The people have been told tina
huge sum would be exacted from Ger
many. sufficient TO make good the foo
deficit. and now the politicians dare no
inform the public that this is impossible
although they admit 1t themselves.
False Hope Extended.
Germany will be compelled to pay a
that 1t Is possible to extract from he
without causing revolution and anarch
in that country. but this sum will nc
begin to make good the deficit. Their
must be tremendous increase In geners
taxes or vfftGaI conffscation OF ceTtai
proportion of capital. The Government
however. are afraid to increase take
twofod and they continue to extend tn
false hope OF an ALLEGATION of the con
bined war debts among the Allies. unde
I
assume a huge share.
French financiers have been told
the Americans that they cannot expeS
any help OF this kind from America, bl
the agitation continues in the new,
papers. 1t is admitted now that II Gel
many is to pay $4,000. 000, 900 c
$4,000. 100000 in twenty five years
will mean that the entire German publ
debt amounting to $4,000, 100000 mui
be deferted.
This might be held to be repudiatio
IN effect, but the hnancers will not adm
that II Is quite as bad as this. German
owes this amount TO her own poop
mostly, but the question now arises as
what condition the people will be left
II the internal debt should be defeVe
This Is only one of many problems ari
ing from survey of the economic ar
financial situation incident to peace.
New Commission Appointed.
Almost every day It Is necessary
appoint some new commission. o.
just named. with Bernard J. BaruC
as the American member. is to stud
the question whether enemy countri
shall be allowed to place their own pu
Nc debt ahead Of the reparation CLAIM