The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-24
BLAME FOR
WAR NOT TO
BE PLACED
BY treaty
Only Declaration Of Principles
to be Included in Prelimin-
ary Draft of Treaty Of
Peace.
GREAy.SECRECY SHOWN
(By Associated Press)

PARIS, Feb. 24-Present indications
are that nothing regarding the re-
sponsibility for the war. beyond dec
laration Of general principles, will be
included in the preliminary treaty Of
peace. The special commission con-
sidering the liability of either govern
ments or individuals to punishment
has worked in great secrecy and has
heard arguments on every side OF the
problem from experts in international
law, but 1t is gathered that the only
result that can be expected in time
for Incorporation in the peace treaty
Is an expression of opinion on the gen.
eral principles that may be applied to
the cases so far considered.
Rumanian claims before the peace
conference are being considered by
special commission headed by Andre
Tardieu. The commission held a
meeting yesterday and heard Premier
Bratiano and other Rumanians with
regard to these claims. After the
meeting the following statement was
issued:
'The commission for the study of
Rumanian territorial questions met
this morning under the chairmanship
of Mr.. Tardieu and heard M. Bratiano
mad other members of the Rumanian
delegation with relation to Rumanian
claims"
MAY SETTLE SHIP DISPUTE
PARIS, Feb. 24.-While the supreme
war council has not discussed the dis
position of surrendered German war
ships, the naval experts of the council
have studied the subject, British and
American officers agreeing that the
proper solution of the question will
be to sing them in deep water, French
and Italian officers do not take this
view and IL the experts do not soon
reach an agreement the matter may
be taken up directly by the supreme
war council.
The British navys,has captured the.
greater number or German vessels
taken during the war and the British
delegates feel they have a greater In
terest In the determination of the
question and they have the weight of
the opinion of American experts with
them. There are seventy-four German
warships, aggregating half a million
tons, or an estimated bidding cost of
$500, 100000 at Scapa Flow.
These naval vessels cannot be used
profitably in commerce, are too heavi-
ly engined and have no cargo space,
fact which has been proved. It has
also been demonstrated by American
wreckers that naval vessels cannot be
broken up at profit.
Reasons for Destruction.
The Italian government claims to
have broken up the famous old bat
tleship Duello at profit, but no one
else has been able to do as WE'LL The
turrets and side armor plates could
not be utilized excepting at great ex-
pense and even the boilers and en-
gines would be unsuitable for CONNER
cial uses. 1t Is pointed out that it
would be possible to detach the navi-
eating instruments and much brass
work, which would be done in any
case. but the recommendation of Brit
ish and American experts is that the
hulls should be sunk
One naval expert of the peace COM
mission said today there were import
ant naval reasons for complete de-
struction of the German ships. It had
been suggested that they should be
distributed among the entente powers
in proportion to the maritime losses
sustained by each. On that basis the
American share would be absurdly
small. Then, he said, the distribution
might involve disagreements and leave
bad feeling between the powers and
also provide an enlargement of rival
building programs at great expense,
At the same time, the German ships
would not fit into any of the entente
navies.