South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-16

cOmmunlQue prepared JOlntly DN
the secretaries of the delegations
of the five great powers. The
delegates will not comment on or
give any information except that
contained i'm the official statement.
PARIS, Jan. 16.-The question OF
whether the peace conference is to
and ears of the woriG, me settlement
of which has been long awaited, was
brought 70 a focus Wednesday when
II was announced that an agreement
had been made to confine the in
formation given to the public TO
daily official communique and that
gentleman's agreement prevailed
among the delegates not to discuss
or in any way give information OF
the meetings in the foreign office.
No written official announcement
Of this purpose was issued but word
was passed out to this effect, and it
was followed by an explosion Of pro-
tests which quite drowned out the
doings of the peace commissions.
The understanding is that the
American and British delegates OPP
posed this decision. but that the
French, Italians and Japanese. vot-
ing together prevailed.
The British newspaper CORE
spondents Immediately Joined in n
memorial of protest, which they put
before Premier Lloyd George. The
American newspaper correspondents
united in what is virtually a round
robin TO Pres't Wilson. in which
they protested in measured terms
against the decision. and reminded
the president that one OF his four
teer points which specifies open
covenants of peace openly arrived
at"
The memorial was before the
president tonight and there is every
reason TO believe that such a storm
has ben raised as Will force the
question before the meeting again
before the actual sessions of the
peace conference begins Saturday
morning.
The question OF whether the
meetings are 20 be open or closed
has been smouldering for several
I DAYS. II is associated with condi-
I tions which have surrounded the
I lack OF method in making public
what has actually been going on in
conference for the past month. The
| American newspaper correspond
ei =. Of whom there are about 100
I here TO report the peace proceed
! ings. have been received in daily
/ audience by the American commits
\ sioners under the stipulated condi-
I ton that what was developed was
solely for their guidance and not to
be reported as bearing the stamp OF
authority or as coming from the
mission.
PARIS. Jan. 15.-Hitherto il has
been the practice Of the governments
taking part in the preliminary peace
conversations. says statement
given out by the official press bureau
today. 10 issue separate communicates
regarding the proceedings. From
today il has been decided 10 issue a
joint communique. on which the fol
lowing is the English text By the
British and American delegations:
The president OF the United
states and the prime ministers and
foreign ministers Of the allied pow
ers, assisted by the Japanese ambas.
sadors in Paris and London. held
two meetings today. In the cours,
OF these meetings the examinatio
OF the rules OF the conference had
been continued and almost com
pleted.
1T was decided that the United
states. the British empire. France
Italy and Japan should be represent
ed ~ five delegates apiece The
British dominions and India. besides