The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-28
Allied Bureau Takes Up Disp0-
sitiOn of Hun Islands.
Bureau Will Settle This Ques-
tiOn Before Peace Treaty.
SEVERAL NATIONS HAVE CLAIMS
French Want Lands as Neces-
sary to Her Industries.
Banking, Maritime Law Are
Other Matters To Come Up.

Paris, JAN 2S-German colonies
again formed the principal subject of
discussion when the peace bureau"
met today.
Japan's claims to the Marshall
group of the Pacific Islands were un-
derstood to have received special at
tention. 1t was reported Great Britain
favored japanese retention of these is
| lands, which were seized from Ger
many. In return for this support it
was believed that Japan might back
up the claims of Australia, New Zea-
| land and South Africa to German colo
MES now held by them.
All the delegates apparently were
| agreed that the colonies cannot revert
to Germany on an ante-bellum status,
but the majority appeared to favor
| their administration by the league Of
nations, under a trusteeship of the ma
! tions most directly interested. The
American plan had not been disclosed,
/ but it was believed it would coincide
| with the league of nations idea of
! ultimate self-determination. Some
delegates hold the opinion that Presi-
| dent Wilson would wait until all the
| other representatives had presented
| their schemes-as he did in the case of
| the league of nations and the Russian
situation and then come forward with
program which would receive in
| slant approval.
/
French press with having brought for
ward during Mondays discussion of
the subject Of the German colonies the
plan under which they would be
placed, so to speak. under the guardi-
anship of the league of nations, which
| would appoint one of it's members to
| administer them.
Settle Them Now.
Certain delegates are known to
favor immediate settlement of several
| of the more pressing territorial prob
lens instead of waiting for these mat
ters to be handled by the league of
nations. In addition to the effect on
rehabilitation, the delegates are in
fluenced in this view by the fact that
certain industries await territorial ad-
| JuStmentS, and that the situation of
the affected populations Is serious.
Whatever action is taken, howeves
| VIII conform with the broad principles
of the league of nations, including de-
| termination. In case of any of the
contemplated settlements leave contro-
versies and irritation they will be
subject to reconsideration by the
league. Territorial questions, which
| may receive early consideration. in
clude adjustment of the boundaries OF
Poland and the Czecho-Slovak repub-
| lie and disposition of the German col
onies, both in Africa and the Pacific
No Claim to Saar Valley.
Denials by French government Off.
Gals regarding alleged claim to the
Saar valley ave taken the form of e
declaration that no claims have beer
presented. There has been no officia
enlightenment yet on Frances position
in the matter, but it was asserted il
some quarters today that the French
proposition, a it will be presented tt
the peace delegates, will provide fol
control of the Saar valley during thu
period the Lens coal district remains
useless because of German vandalism
, The great industrial district o
which Lille is the center is dependen
upon Lens coal fields and it will b,
: impossible to resume work on
normal scale until the mines are re
opened. This. according to experts
may be several years hence Th
, French, 1t is understood, also plan t,
have the benefit of certain agricul
tural lands within the present German
: border pending restoration of tn
Somme valley, which was rendere,
barren by the Germans. All who hsv
Sc the Lens district and the Somm
= valley sympCthize instantly with sucl
l a proposal, yet there is a marke
= hesitancy against placing any foreig
: population under the rule of another
l as would be the case. since the Saa
valley i; entirely German.
International Banking, Too.
Another question which will hav
an important bearing on restoring &C
tual peace conditions is that of inter
| national banking. Establishment O
? credits has become one of the bigges
i problems before the delegates, as dis
\ tributfon of food supplies and othe
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