The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-25
On Suggestion of President WI
son All Factions Asked
to Attend Conference.
MEETING TO BE HELD
AT PRINCESS ISLAND
Effort viii be Made TO Unite
All Russian Factions 10 Saye
Country From Ruin.

ALI RuSSldu dCtlo1io ~ h'e+c
Country From Ruin.
Paris, jar. 22.-By the Associated
press.-Led by President Wilson, the
supreme council Of the great powers
today moved to unite the factions OF
distracted Russia and bring them into
the peace congress. They unanimous
w adopted proposition brought for
ward by Pr ,sident Wilson asking all
the Russian factions, including the
Bolshevists, to meet the allied and
associated governments at Princess
Island in the Sea of Marmora on Feb.
Is, the contending factions mean
tine declaring a truce and suspend'ng
|all military operations,
The joint commission Of the. asso-
ciated governments will be announc-
ed as soon as the Russian factions ac-
cept the proposal which was com
nrunicated to them by wireless to-
night. The Russian commission VIII
! proceed to the meeting place, proba-
bly, on warship. by way of the Black
Sea and the Bosphorus.
Gen. John j. Pershing, the Amer
can commander in chief, has been
called to Paris and it is expected that
he will be military member OF the
American representation Of the joint
commission.
Aside frora the importance of the
conclusions reached. it was especially
notable as being the first time that
the voice of the, United States had
taken the direction in the concert OF
European powers on the most serious
| question now. presented. There was
added significance in the fact that:a
American president in person had
taken leadership in the council mace
up chiefly of. European statesmen ana
had pointed "a way which they had
unanimously adopted.
The final result came after three
days of continuous discussion OF Rus
sia, which did not crystalize until the
final hours, when President wilson
presented in writing the plan he had
elaborated.
There was little opposition. and
this was based mainly on doubts as
to whether the proposition would De
accepted.
Tn reply it was pointed ont that
the contending factions were we'll
nigh at the end of their resources ana
that. their needs kkely would lead
them at last to combined appeal 70
fthe associated powers. Resides the
definite proposal as given IN the com
,nunique, the joint commission OF the
associated powers will lay down -FOUR
conditions indispensable I'm bringing
about an. adjustment; first, peace at
all points; second. removal OF all eco
nognic barriers which restrain the
free circulation of exchange OF tood
and commodities between the out
side world; third, general elections on
representative basis, and fourth,
some adequate arrangements for the
payment Of debts.
Even if eventually the proposal is
not accepted members of the council
expressed the view that their proposl-
ton was before the world and that
/ it would pave the way for such other
measures as their own action had
!
| brought about.
The Princes Islands were chosen
for the eventful meeting because they
are outside the zone of any contend1ng
ia ctions. They are also allied head
quarters and not open to be obnoS-
ious to any of the factions as Vould
be other points having better ma
! terial facilities for the meeting.
February Is was designated as the
time of the meeting so as to give time
for representations to come from the
remotest sections of Siberia and other
distant localities.
Besides the decisive action with re-
gard to Russia, the council today also
provided a joint commission of two
each from the United States, Great
Britain, France and Italy to proceed
Immediately TO Danzig and Warsaw
for consideration Of the entire mill
tary economic and political situation
! Of Poland.
A plenary meeting of the full con-
ference was announced for next Sat
urdav when the plans of President
Wilson and David Lloyd George, the
British prime minister. dealing with
league Of nations will be the first
order of business.
Today's action on Russia and Po-
land, however, goes into effect with
out presentation to the full confer
ence and is taken as the action Of
the great powers.
sufficient funds at the rate'of interest