The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-28
FREEDOM OF SEAS"
GOES TO COMMITTEE
Another Board Named to
Deal With Finance.
By the Associated Press.

Deal With Finance.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, Jan. 27.--The Supreme Council
Of the Peace Conference held two ses-
sIona to-day. resulting in the formation
of two new commissions to deal with
financial subjects and tho question OF
private and maritime laws, While the
official communications give no indica-
ton of the nature Of the question OF
maritime law II would seem to be a
term embracing President wilson's sec
ond point, OF freedom of the seas.
The council also proceeded to hear
ings on the disposition Of the conquered
German colonies In the Pacific and the
Far Fast. a final conclusion not being
reached. The conference 10 giving evil.
dence OF real progress since the commit
tees were named, and most OF these bod
les began TO initiate their work to-day.
President Wilson. who is chairman Of
the committee on the league OF nations.
joined his colleague, Col. House, also a
member Of that committee. during the
noon recess OF the council. Later in the
day Lord Robert Cecil. British member
of the committee. Joined him in a fur
ther consideration OF the questions which
the President and Col. House had exam
!ned.
Labor Commissioners Confer.
The Labor Commission also began to
get under way President Wilson met
Samuel Gompers. president of the Amerl-
can Federation OF Labor James Duncan,
John r. Alpine and other members Of
the American labor delegation. for n
brief exchange OF greetings. and later
Mr. Gompers and Edward " Hurley,
who are the American members OF the
Labor Commission, held their first con-
ference on the work ahead.
The Military Commission on Demobiil-
zation also had a session. while NJ
Pichon completed the draft OF inetruc-
lions for the commission. which leaves
for Poland in n few days.
Henry White. the American delegate
on the Waterways Commission. also es-
tablished relations with his collea CUES Of
that body.
Thus real progress on all the main
subjects Is becoming apparent as the
commissions are beginning to formulate
detailed projects for presentation 10 the
conference.
Omcial Account of Sessions.
The official statement OF to-day's SEES
sion reads:
The President of the United States.
the Prime Ministers and Foreign Min
tStCrs OF the allied and associated
Powers and the japanese representa-
tive met this morning at the DUAL
d'Orsay from 1890 o'clock to 1890
o'clock and defined a programme of
work and the constitution OF new
committees for economic and financial
questions as well as questions relat-
Ing to private and maritime laws.
The afternoon session continued the
exchange of views on the former Ger
man colonies in the Pacific and the
Far East The representatives of the
Dominions and OF China were heard.
The next meeting Will take place to-
morrow Mt IL o'clock in the morning.
The committee OF the great Powers
heard the Chinese Minister OF Foreign
Affairs to-day on colonial questions in
which China Is Interested China Ia con-
cerned largely in Kiau-Chow, which was
occupied By the Germans until they were
dispossessed by Japan at the outbreak
OF the war.
WtlsOn COnfers with Chinese.
During the day the President con-
ferred with Wellington Koo. the Chinese
Minister at Washington. and LII Cheng-
Hsiang the Chinese Foreign Minister.
colonial matters, including three Ameri-
cans, accompanied the various delega-
tons as they entered the Foreign ONCE
for to-day's session.
There appears every prospect that the
Peace Conference will make rapid prog
ress from now on with the work OF fixing
the peace terms for Germany, as the
conference appears to have gotten into
its stride. A high French diplomatic
authority n quoted by the Paris edition
OF the London Daily MAJ as estimating
that the conference will, have the peace
terms ready for submission for ratifca-
ton by the various national Govern
ments between the middle and the end
Of March. II this is accomplished the
German delegates will be summoned to
Paris early In April for the conclusion
OF the peace.
Leon Bourgeois, president OF the
French Association for the Society OF
Nations, presided yesterday at a meet
ing OF representatives OF allied countries
who have come to Paris TO work for the
adoption OF the,plan for a league Of
nations. He asked the delegates pres
ent to formulate programme that
might facilitate the task Of the peace
congress
Hamilton Holt. one OF the American
delegates, insisted upon the necessity for
eliminating secret diplomacy, The meet
ing adopted n motion favoring tire es-
tablishment OF the league and will con-
tinue its work tomorrow.
"