The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-24
COUNCILTOHEAR
RIGHTS0F LABOR
Responsibility fog War and
Punishment Also Set for
Tomorrow.
WILL BE NO DEBATE NOW
Session of Powers and Military
Leaders To-day Will Discuss
Army of Occupation.
WILL BE NO DEBATE NOW
By fhe Assocfussd Prsss.

IL
great Powers definitely set to-day four
main subjects to be presented at the
full conference on Saturday-Ffrst,
international labor legislation; second.
responsibility and punishments for the
war; third, indemnities; fourth. inter-
naturalization OF ports, waterways
and railways
These subjects are not TO be dis
cussed in detail, but will be referred
Immediately to committees for study
and report. The American members
Of these committees were selected at
an extended conference between Presi-
dent Wilson and the American dele
gates this afternoon.
1 The American plans on the first
topic are already we'll advanced. While
there is no definite Information on the
second, relative to responsibility and
/ punishments for the war, the senti-
ment in American quarters inclines to
a negative attitude, with some sug-
gestiors that those responsible who
have fed from Germany should be
i lot 10 utdl WILL
| VIII Determine Ability to Pay.
! The third subject. indeunities. will
not be represented in the conference
! With the amounts claimed by each Gov
ernment, but a committee will be
charged with the task Of assembling
these amounts and also of determining
the probable snaxiVun the enemy Pow
ers are able to pay.
! The meeting tomorrow will have
added Importance in bringing together
the Supreme War Council. with Presi-
dent Wilson, the Premlers and Foreign
Ministers. REINFORCED by Marshal Fcch.
Field Marshal Haig. Gen, Pershing sapd
den. Disz and the full nenioership OF
| the War Council of Versailles.
The subject for consideration is not
Russia or Poland. as was supposed but
! the status Of the present military occu-
patton OF Germany, on which the coun-
Gil desires information from the military
leaders. dn some allied quarters it had
been suggested that the American
strength IN the occupied regions should
| be relatively larger than. that of the
other forces. as the European allies have
gone through longer service. This view
is not shared In American quarters,
( where Il is maintained that the relative
American strength is fully up to the re-
cuirements. The presence of the mill
tnry leaders tomorrow is expected TO
bring a pretty full understa nding on this
subject.
Wilson Holds Reception.
President Wilson received to-day
| Georges lie Compte. president. and Able
wetterle ard Gen. Malleterrc, vice-pres-
| idents of the Society OF Men OF Letters.
! He seemed particularly pleased at the
| courtesy of the French writers in calling
! on him.
This afternoon there was a reception
rendered by President Wilson At the
Murat Mansion to about 400 personn.
diplomats politicians, artists and writ
ors, who were introduced to the Presi-
dent and Mrs. WILSON,. Among those
who attended tho reception were Gustav,
Ador, President OF the Swiss Confeder-
alton. with whom President Wilson con-
ferred for a few moments in his studio
! Premier Clemenceau. Foreign Minister
pichon. j. J. Jusserand, French Ambassa-
dor to the United States. and NJ. Dubost.
| President OF the Senate. \ large NUM-
ber Of women also were present
Labor Plan 7. Outlined.
/ Great Britalns plan for the actual
working machinery to carry out the
proposed Observation-Disclosures of labor
was outlined to-day TO the Associated
Press by George Nicoll Barnes. Minis
! ter without portfolio whose proposals
will be considered by the Peace Confer
ence Saturday. Briefly his programme
calls for the establishment of an inter-
/ national commission made UP OF repre-
sentatives of both labor and capital for
the settlement OF labor problems This
| commission is TO he responsible to the
league of nations.
/ Under the Barnes scheme would be
the appointment by the Peace Confer
ence OF small commission composed
OF delegates from the Great Powers.
This commission would convene the first
labor conference which. IN turn. would
become the central international COM
mission for the betterment OF labor.
| Because OF lack of machinery the
present Peace Conference would he un-
able to establish a perfected commits
sion, although the Peace Conference may
make certain suggestions and even bind
the Powers 10 them.
VIII Avoid Internal Problems.
For example, such questions as the
right of the people TO form themselves
into trade unions might be settled by
the Peace Conference, The matter OF
the hours Of labor and similar problems
would como before the international
labor commission. In case of nom
fulhlment OF labor agreements the
league of nations would be called In to
settle the matter.
The International labor commission, or
bureau. will not deal with purely In
ternal problems of the nations. Capital
and labor will still work out their local
differences as before,
Asked as to what power the COM
mission would have back of II to en-
force its ruling, Mr.. Barnes replied in
substance that II any nation refused to
play the game she might be brought TO
reason by deprivins her OF trade priyi-
icges with sister States.