Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-04
COUNCIL Of FOUR
NEE IS AND TALKS;
ANY RESUL IS ARE
YET To Be SEEN
Deadlock Over Western From
tier of Germany Seems
Tight With Wilson Willing to
Agree to ANYTHING.
SEARCH FOR MIDDLE
GROUND UMREWARDED
Frances Demands for ProteC-
ton Against Germany Begin
to Conflict With Self Deter
mination.
tsr MORNING JOURNAL sprerA. sAs," WIRE

Paris, April (bv the Associated
Press) President Wilson and Pre-
miers Lloyd George, Ciemenceau and
Orlando continued their discussion at
President Wilson's residence today.
Other peace conference organizations
also met.
All the conferences tended to un-
ravel the tangled issues still standing
in the way of peace.
The meetings proceeded amid an
other wave of apprehension spreading
through the conference over lack of
any tangible results after the council
of four had labored continuously for
ten days.
This was accompanied by well
founded reports from those close in
touch with the council of four show
ing that the situation, while not des-
perate, was at least serious because of
radical differences on some funda-
mentais in the settlement of Ger
many's western. the FrancO-German
and the eastern Polish frontiers.
Extremely Difficult.
one of the American experts who
is constantly being consulted on vari-
Gus questions before the council, gives
the following glimpse of what is going
on DenlnQ scenes.
"The situation is extremely diff
cult. particularly as regards to the
western frontier of Germany. Presi-
dent Wilson, in a Conciliatory spirit,
has been willing to do most anything
to assure French security short of the
qualification of engagements made at
the time of the armistice.
THE French have been asspred of
every military protection, along the
Rhine and for forty kilometers east
of that river. even to the extent of
considering that any military activity
in that section shall be looked upon
as hostile act But this Is not con-
sidered enough and additional claims
lead to the conviction that they are
open to construction as meaping
something more than military secur-
ity and verging on territorial control
THE president is not willing to go
that far in creating more Alsace -Lor-
raine situations and IT Is this stand
against these claims which is causing
the delays until some middle ground
is found"
Concerning reparations. It was
added that there were good prospects
for an early agreement. This will
not specify the total amount, but will
leave it to a commission to work out
details of reparation through a period
of years The priority of Belgium
and France in the division of the
German indemnity also is said to be
nearing agreement.
As means of finding the middle
ground" on the Rhine controversy,
the superior council of four created
a consulting body consisting of Andre
4 IN,.sY at.lA lDg EttN5
American, and VisCount Morley. Brit
ish They labored until 2 o'clock this
morning and then called on Col. Ed
ward M. House before seeing the
council. To intimates they were not
optimistic on the progress that is be-
ing made.
King Calls on Colonel House.
Another of President Wilson's en-
tourage said the real issue was
whether President Wilson's principle
of self determination was to be up
held. The president he said, did not
regard this as a principle which
should be applied when favorable to
the entente and not applied in all
cases alike. Just now, 1t was assert
ed, the issues over Danzig, the Saare
valley and the region west of the
Rhine brought up this principle of
self determination and it was not
clear that the. transfer of territorial
control of these localities would be in
accordance with the wishes and de-
termination of their peoples.
| King Albert of Belgium figured
| prominently during today's confer
ence. The Belgian monarch called on
| Colonel House at II o'clock In the
morning and later saw President Will
son before the arrival Of David Lloyd
George, Premier Clemenceau and
Signor Orlando. The call of King
| Albert on Colonel House was decid-
ed novelty for which veterans of royal
procedure said there was no prece-
! dent The king wore the uniform OF
commander-in- chief Of the Belgian
army and was accompanied by a staff
officer. He was met at the entrance
| of the residence of Colonel House by
the colonel himself. who escorted him
to his private office, where a series
of conferences contantly is going on
! 1t is understood that King Albert
drew attention during his talk with
Colonel House to Belgium's vital in
terests in frontier and other ques-
tions which are reaching a culminat'
| ing stage and also spoke of his in.
! terest in having Brussels chosen as
the seat of the league of nations.
A Swiss delegation which called or
Colonel House after King Albert hat
departed is understood to have made
offers on behalf Of Geneva as the sea-
of the league which offset the Brus
sells offer of the royal palace. The
Swiss offer included tender of ar
extensive domain a short distance
from Geneva bordering the lake.