The Washington herald., 1919-01-28
League Of Nations to Finally
Settle Maritime Question.
Australia and China Pre-
sent Claims to Colonies
Wrest from Germany.
SERBIA ALSO GETS
REPRESENTATION
President Confers with
Other American Dele
gates, and Hurley and
Gompers Evidently on
Labor Legislation.

Paris, Jan. Freedom of the seas,
which has been more or less lost
in the shsuffle of other business, was
taken UP for the first time today by
the big five"
Discussion was private. Maritime
laws were gone into, il is understood
and the deliberations gradually ap-
preached the question, although the
actual settlement will be left to the
League of Nations
This decision vas reached it Is said
because the representatives Of the
great powers are desirous that as
much of the work as possible be
left for deIiberation by the league
Claim. to Colonies Heard
Exchange Of views regarding the
German colonies in the Pacific include
Chinese representations concerning
KiAu-ChoW and Australian claims to
the captured islands which she asserts
are Of strategic Importance for her
safety.
While the conference has not yet
considered the territorial questions in
the Balkans there is a general dispo-
sition- constantly growing, to believe
that the United States will take an
active share either in a protectorate
or in an arrangement similar to that
planned for Constantinople and Ar
menia-
Ia the view Of the United States
Peace Commission this is inlmical to
the American poIicp, but great pres
sure is being brought TO bear to have
US assume colonial obligations.
Belgian ecognitIon Pleases Council.
The meeting this afternoon of nine
teen small paTs-s. UU5e- the sIidauc@
- Iuics CHln0cf, who mas beod dele
sated chairman Is the big i've Is
unserstood 10 have been sstisfactorS
g al eouee Ded
T'he dsflsidE in ev9r ~ -s-tl. a.
reprUsgntstiol ~ en- -E--.a.l tees
Dra viii have representation upon
three Of the four committees.
President Wilson conferred today
with other members of the American
peace delegation. and Edward Hurley
and Samuel Gompers. presumably
about the international labor legis-
lation- The conference was at Ameri-
can headquarters in the Hotel Crillon-
War Communique.
The supreme inter-allies war coun-
Gil today issued the following COM
Sunidues:
The President OF the United
States. the Prime Ministers and
Foreign Ministers of the allied and
associated powers. and the Japa-
nese representative met this morn
ing at the Qusi D'Orsay from
le.5O to 2:SD and defined a pro-
gram of work and the constitu-
-
nOmic and financial questions, as
well as questions relating to pri-
vate and maritime laws The af-
ternOOn session continued the ex-
change of views on the former
German colonies in the Pacific and
the Far East The representatives
OF the dOminions and China were
heard. The next meeting will
take place tomorrow at IL O'Clock"
The afternoon Communique follows
The representatives of the
powers with special Interests met
this afternoon at . o'clock at the
Quai D'Orsay. under the presi-
dcncy Of Mr.. J. Cambon, ambassa-
dor. French delegate at the Peace
Conference, to appoint members of
the missions in accordance with
the decisions OF the plenary seS-
sion Of Tuesday. January l..
Belgium on Committees.
'LHaSTe Of Nations - Belgium,
Mr.. Hymans; Brazil Mr. Epita-
clio Pessoa; China. NJ F. yelling
ton KoO Cplenipotentiary); Serbia
Mr.. Vesnitch; Portugal, Mr. Janme
Batalkha Refs minister plenipo-
teutiaryJ
Responsibility Of the authors
Of the war-Belgium mot yet ap-
pointed; Serbia. Mr.. SlobOdan Va
vanovitch; EUmania. Mr.. Rosen-
thai; Greece, Mr.. Politis: Poland
mot yet appointed.
International legislation on la
DOT-Belgium, Mr.. VanderYeIde and
. 81