The citizen., 1919-01-23
PEACE CONGRESS- J
OPENS FORMALLY
Most Notable Gathering World
Has Ever Known Begins With
Pomp and Ceremony.
BAR RUSS FROM CONFERENCE
Five Leading Powers Agree That Ma
tons Representation by Any Rus
sian Element is Impossible
at This Time.

Paris. Jan. 2O.-The first formal
session of the peace congress opened
nj three i'm the afternoon. The Sale
dIIorlogc. now rechristened the Sale
de la Paix. and one Of the most splen
, ibid reception rooms in Europe, was
, In readiness for the delegations Of the
/, various nations MS they entered to IN
augurate the slttings of the full con
grpss. the entire chamber having been
rearrungcd for the special purpose To
which II is now being put.
First. to catch the eye Of the pleni-
potentiuries entering the hall, statue
Of peace, holding aloft the torch OF
civilization. had been placed. This he
role marble figure stood directly be-
hind the chair of Premier Clemenceau
Of France. the presiding officer. II
seems as IL the statue might have been
placed In this position To exercise
controlling influence on the deli5era-
tions.
The congress met In the beautifui
Hall de Ia Paix nj the foreign office.
The opening Of the congress was a
ceremonial function. the leaders made
their first bows and the delegates ex-
changed salutations. The republican
guard. In gorgeous uniforms. were pres
ent.
After the delegates were Installed
around the great horseshoe conference
table Raymond Polncare, president Of
| France. made his entry into the hall
with an escort Of premlers and took
his place in the presiding officers chair
at the head Of the table.
Poineare Halls Wilson.
"You hold In your hands the future
OF the world" said President Poincare
in his address to the peace delegates
He welcomed the conference and
thanked the allied nations for choos-
ing Paris as the place for the meeting.
Germany" he said, "willed 10 rule
by iron. and perished by iron" Re
viewing the reasons for the different
nations entering the war. he especially
praised the course OF America. He
hailed President Wilson In the name Of
France and eleven other nations. laud-
ed the American people and praised
the allied troops and the American
army.
Press Represented.
The question Of the admission Of the
press To- the conferences Is settled. II
was decided that the newspaper men
should be admitted To the meetings of
the full conference, but that on neces-
sary occasions ,the deliberations of the
conference might be held In secret.
Sit at Horseshoe Table.
In front OF the statue was spread
the council table. covered with the ira
ditlonal green baize Of diplomacy. This
table Is in the form Of a huge horse
shoe. Across the upper end were nine
seats OF honor. for the presiding Off
Ger. the vice presidents and premiers.
on each side Of the two arms of the
horseshoe there were fifteen seats.
making sixty seats. besides the nine
AT the head of the table.
Each delegates chair was uphol-
stored in bright red leather and be
fore each place was n complete equip
ment of writing materials. The fit-
tlngs of the room were In white and
gold. with frescocd ceiling bordered
by dancing cuplds Four great luster
chandeliers hung from the ceiling F.
while five large windows. looking out
over the Seine river, cast food of
light over the sumptuous apartment. .
Gorgeous State Dining Room.
Leading from the council room was
another large chamber overlooking the .
gardens. To this room the delegates .
can retire for consultations. A large
table nt one end suggested that re-
freshments would be served there to
the delegates.
Further on was gorgeous state din
ing room. where luncheon and dinner
may be served To the delegates In case
protracted sessions are held. The
whote suite of rooms was suggestive
of elegance and beauty and the artistic
taste Of the French.
The secretariat Of the congress dur
ing the evening completed the official
list OF the delegates. II includes n dis
tingulshed array Of leading public fig.
ures from every section Of the civilized
globe and in personnel and In the in
terests represented II embraces prob
ably one of the most notable gather
ings OF statesmen the world has ever
seen.
Peace Council Bars Russia.
As regards Russia, In the peace CON
ference. II Is stated that the five lead
ing powers have agreed that her rep
resentation by any Russian element IL
impossible for the moment. II Is ar
gued that the admission Of former Pre-
mier Lvoff or any other man who fig-
ured In previous Russian governmental
might give the bolsheviki chance TO
declare that the powers were support
ing a monarchlcal regime.
As TO the other questions before the
congress. territorial, financial and eco
nomic. the order Of their consideration
will be indicated In the rules of pro-
cedure 10 be read by Premier Clemen-
csau as president OF the congress.