The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-04
Printed Only in English
and French, Copy Awaited
by Some Delegates.
PRESIDENT IN CHAIR
Will Be Considered Article
by Article at Session To-
morrow Night.
OTHER PLANS READY ALSO
Three Different Drafts to Be
Presented When Agreed
One Is Taken Up.
BY the LssOcidted Press


PARIS. Feb. 3.--Tresident Wilson
presided at the opening meeting Of
the League of Nations Commission,
which Was held in Col. Houses apart
ments this afternoon and lasted from
to 5 o'clock.
Special interest attached to the
meeting owing to the feeling that the
action Of tho council on the matter
of the seized German colonies re-
Quired the early presentation of
definite plan on the constitution Of
the league. There were present, for
the United States, President Wilson,
Col. House and Mr.. Miller, technical
expert; for Great Britain, Lord
Robert Cecil and Gen. Jan Christian
Shuts; for France. Leon bourgeois
and Ferdinand Larnaude; for Italy.
| Premier Orlando; for Japan. Baron
| Ch!nda, as we'll rs delegates from
Belgium. Serbia, Brazil. Portugal and
| China.
President Wilson greeted the menu
bers and took leading part in the
discussion. This was no longer gen.
eral hut specific, as the meeting had
before it the printed text of the
agreed plan for the formation of the
league. The text was in English, as
had been decided upon at recent
meeting between President Wilson,
Lord Robert Cecil, Gen. Smuts and
Premier Orlando.
| Delayed for French Text
! As some Of the members OF the
commission do not speak English. Ii
was determined to defer full discuss
sion until the French text could he
presented. when the debate will pro-
coed article by article. This prob
ably will be tomorrow night.
Although the agreed text seeks to
bring together the views of all quar-
ters, there are three other plans
which also will he considered at the
next meeting. The following official
communication was issued on to-day's
meeting.
| The commission met to compare
! views on procedure and to arrive at
method which will facilitate prog-
ress. II was agreed that an accord
| in principle had been reached hv tSe
! resolution previously adopted by the
! conference and that the discussion
| should proceed accordingly at the
| reNt meeting. which is called for
$50 o'clock Tuesday evening at the
! Hotel de- Crllon.
| Approval OF Report Assured.
The question OF society of nations
! vii! he tho first presented to the
plenary conference as soon as the re-
port of the commission is ready. AS
| this commission includes representa-
tives of all the great Powers and many
of the smaller ones, IT is assumed that
approval by the Peace Conference will
be assured in advance
To-day's meeting of this commission
afforded the members an opportunity
to express individual views on the
general principles which should govern
the society. 1t is said that little
divergence in views developed, except
as to the measure of force to be en-
ployed. and 1t is believed this fact made
agreement by the commission.
While the plan presented has not
hoen disclosed it is said to have been
n combination Of the British. American
and French ideas and that it does not
go into such detail as prohibiting the
use OF the submarine in warfare. free
dom Of the seas and like subjects,
though ii does touch upon tho limita-
tion OF armaments. naval as we'll as
military.
Waterways Commission Meets.
The Commission on Ports, Water
ways and Railways held its first meet
ing to-day, The meeting was called by
NJ. Clavelle. French Minister uf Public
| Works, who welcomed the delegates.
The Minister said he had ~ four
years managed the transportation OF
the French army and also its supplies
during the war. ON his motion Signor
Crispi, the Italian Minister of Supplies,
was named chairman, and VI. S!fton OF
Belgium viCe-chairman.
The supreme Council Transmitted a
request for tn" admission of members
of the smaller nationalities to this
committee, which accordingly added a
Czech, Portuguese and Il Pole to
membership.
The French and British presented a
programme including recognition OF
the general principle Of the right OF
nations to control international water
ways and international railways. which
/. was accepted by the commission The
details of this will In considered at the
next meeting.
The meeting OF the five principal
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