Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-25
The Days Peace Program

a SECOND formal session OF the full allied
peace conference is scheduled for to-day,
at which some Of the important business that
it must consider will receive attention. In
the interim since the last meeting the coun-
Gil Of the five great powers has held daily
sessions at which progress has been made in
reaching common understanding to basic
principles to be applied to the solution Of II
number OF questions that must be taken up
early as possible in order to facilitate ac-
cord i'll the general purpose Of the conference.
To this end. lie council has adopted this
program to be presented at to-days session
OF the conference: first, international labor
legislation; second, responsibility and punish
ments for the war; third, indemnitics; fourth
Observation-Disclosures of ports, waterways and
railways. These big subjects. and the
council very wisely determined that they
should not be discussed in detail in the con
ference at this stage OF its proceedings but
should be Immediately referred to appro-
PIRATE committees for study and report.
With regard to the Russian problem the
council as yet has been unable TO evolve Il
-polcY OF treatment, but it has developed
an luea winch eventually may result in clear
ing up the confused situation TO the point
OF suggesting some definite plan of action
upon which the conference may agree as Of
1ering Il tangible prospect Of restoring order
IN mat unhappy country. This idea OF how
TO approach the situation seems TO have orig
mated with President Wilson, and in sub
stance consists in an invitation to all bel
hgerent factions in Russia to agree to an
armistlcc and send accredited representatives
of their factions to meet with a commits
SION named by the peace conference and sub
mt their respective views as TO Russia's
needs ana, II possible reach some agreement
pE winch the Will OF the Russian people may
End expression in the establishment of stable
government of their own choosing the allied
powers to assist them in financial and eco
non'lc way in working out from under their
present crushing burden. Should the Rus
sian factions accept this invitation it at least
VIII afford opportunity for more enlighten-
nent on the general situation in that coun-
try and enable the allies TO como 70 como
definite understanding as to the proner no,icv
TO be pursued to relieve present intolerable
conditions.
a SUBJECT that promises TO come up before
the conference at an early date, and which
VIII require great delicacy in the handling
Is the demand Of the Chinese delegation for
revision OF the Chino-Japanese treaties of
1913 on the ground that China was coerced
mo s'shing these documents, under Japans
pea OF necessity to adjust matters to meet
the ne" situation created by the war between
Japan and Germany. China insists that tboca
treaties like those Of Brcst Litoysk and
l6ukharest impose on a state since associated
win the allies in warning against the con
'i"l powers, eXactions wholly inconsistent
win the free and unfettered DEVELOPMENT nj
emma as '-'odern independent nation II
is not unlikely that the conference will have
TO recognize the justice of this contention in
part at least, and undertake some relief for
emma, but it is subject that will have ~
DC handled very cautiously, if the precipita
ton OF discord is to be avoided