Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-18
W0ULDHURRY
FINAL PEACE
treaty
Urge Haste in Finishing
= Pact, Leaving Details
Until Later.

Paris, Feb. 1s.-By the Associat-
ed Press) Some of the entente
powers are planning, as soon as the
Russian problem now before the
supreme council of the peace con-
ference is disposed of and a few
more hearings are accorded repre-
sentatives of small nations, to take
up the larger problems of treaty
of peace. The state Of public senti-
ment in America, England, Aus
trana and Canada, has impressed
their Representatives of the neces-
sity of taking steps to return the
soldiers home, which cannot be ac-
complished entirely in advance OF
the conclusion Of the peace treaty.
The French government is fully
ware Of this feeling and expresses
ftS~sympathy with the motives that
underlie it, but there are fears of
dangerous complications if there is
undue haste in the conclusion OF
the treaty Of peace France is in
sisting upon compliance with arm
fstice demands for the return Of
much property taken by the Ger
mans, principally industrial ma
chfnery. This will take a long
time and some Of the entente coun-
tries believed It should not be per-
nitted to delay the signing of the
treaty.
Would Leave Detail Until Later.
Answering French objections.
that a long time may be consumed
in arranging the boundaries of new
states carved out of enemy coun-
tries, advocates of immediate peace
declare that such readjustments as
are necessary can proceed after the
signature of the peace treaty.
They say that Germany, Austria,
Turkey and Bulgaria should sim
ply be required to sign treaties re-
linquishing such parts of their for
rner territories as required to form
new states, and reCtify old bound
aries. 1t is held that it is no con-
cern of these nations what dispo-
sition the entente. through peace
conference committees or the su-
preme council makes of such ter
ritories.
Oppose Delay for Indemnify.
<Ihe same powers hold there
Should be no delay because of in
IDENTITIES. It Is impossible to as
certain the exact detail Of the dam
age inflicted during the war and
they urge that lump sums should be
agreed on, and placed IN the peace
treaty on the basis of the fairly
comprehensive examinations al
ready made by agents of the en-
tente powors. Figures in posses
sion Of exports Of the peace confer
ence are believed to give a close
approximation of the total sum
Germany IL able to pay. 1t Is be-
Heved that the terms of the armls-
tice just concluded are not broad
enough to he developed safely into
definite treaty Of peace.
May Give Huns Final Terms,
The special commission of the
supreme council, charged with
drafting the terais of a definite ar
mistice which will hold good until
the peace preliminarie5 are finish
ed, has nearly completed the task
NSd II possible, says a Havas report,
Marshal Foch will be able TO notify
the Germans on Thursday or Fri
uay of the military and naval terms
which will be essentially those OF
the preliminary peace treaty. 1t Is
understood that the terms will in
clude the clauses by which Ger
many will be allowed To maintain
only 25O 900 men under arms TO
keep order. All war material beyond
what IS necessary to equip these
troops, would, according to the re
port. be placed under control OF the
h HES. who will also hold Germany's I
munitions factories.