The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-26
Council of Four Still Unable to
Reach Agreement as To De-
mands Of Italy
TWO MEETINGS HELD;
NO PROGRESS MADE
Said That President Wilson is
Preparing to Issue Statement
If Deadlock Persists.


including the coast. islands and
Fiume, the Italian delegates, Premier
Orlando, and Foreign Minister Con-
nino failed to appear at Monday after
moons session. These ministers had
discussed the problem insisteuty
with Premier Clelnenceau and Pre-
nier Lloyd George earlier in the day,
and for the purpose of bringing the
matter to a climax, President Wilson
attended the after ..oon session.
It was then expected that the ques-
ton, which up to that time was corr
sidered almost insurmountahle, would
be decided, but owing to the absenc@
ui Inc ,talIan delegates, discussion G!
the Italian claims was dispensed Win.
1t is announced that the council viii
take no further action on the S'l"-
ject pending information as to tha
future course of the Italians.
Germany has accepted all the con-
ditions of the allies with respect 10
the Versailles conference.
Sundays discussion of the Italian
claims was followed Monday by tW@
additional conferences but as Yet
there apparently has been no breach
IN the deadlock over the demands
which the italians consider irreducib.e
and the compromise offer Of the other
participants in the egotiations-Pre-
nier Clemenceau, David Lloyd George
and President Wilson. AS in the
case Of Sundays discussion President
Wilson did rot attend Monday morn
ing's session of the council of four.
He did, however, gather with the
statesmen for the later session IN the
afternoon and was reported to bf
ready to issue a public statement OF
the situation surrounding the contro-
vetSy in case an arSeenent was no
reached.
That there is no immediate eros
pect that the impasse is to be breach
ed without further argument possibly
is indicated by an official announce
nent that the convening Of the Italian
parliament, which was to have TAX
en- place "Wednesday and before
which Premier Orlando and Foreisn
Minister Sonnino hoped to place the
facts accomplished, had been post
poned for two weeks from next Wed
nesday until May 6.
"A delay of three days also is Il
prospect for the meeting at Versatile
between the representatives Of the al
lied and associated powers and the
German delegates for the delivery to
the Germans Of the allied peace terms.
The German delegation, Marsha!
Foch has been informed, can no.
r,-il
inally they were invited to be there
April 25.
The three days delay possibly may
be Of benefit to the allies in com
pleting the draft Of the lengthy peace
document which is said TO ap
proximate 100000 words. Some doubt
has been expressed that the allies
would be able to give the Germans
more than a summary Of their peace
conditions at the first meeting al
Versailles owing to the length Of the
document.
Talk of the German government
sending merely messengers to Yer
Sailles to receive the peace treaty is
discounted by official information re-
ceived by Marshal Foch that thc
German delegation Will consist Of sin
high personages, headed by Count
Won Brockdorff- -RantZau, the foreign
minister.
A new provision Of the peace
treaty. intending to make impossible
any attempts of the Germans to utili2
outside forces to rcesetablish MIL
itary machine has been approved by
the council OF foreign minister. This
is q prohibition Of the sending by Ger
many Of military instructors to for
eign countries.
President Wilson conferred at
length Monday with Baron Maxine
and viscount Chinda Of the Japanese
leace delegation.
Paris, April 81 (By the Associated
prese) The Italian crisis in tho ne
sotiations with Italy has obscurcd for
the moment the incident over the Ger
man delegation to Versailles in which
the Germans announced that they
were sending delegates without rcni-
potentiary powers, and the council Of
four promptly replied requiring dele
gates with full powers TO sign the
peace treaty. This incident was var
ously interpreted, the French and
British View being that it was ano;h-
er effort to delay the settlement and
to pave the way for a refusal TO sign
the treaty. The view taken by the
American delegation OF the incident.
however, was less serious, it being be-
lieved that the Germans would
promptly accede to the allied request
and send the proper plenipotcntiaries.
'"They will do about snything we
want them to do said one of the
American delegates today. And
we want plenipotcntiaries they vii
send them"
There was little doubt that the al
lied military and naval authorities
had taken measures to meet the pos
sibla emergency of a failure TO sign
the treaty though it was said these
measures were purely precautionary
and without any expectation that
there would be occasion 10 put then
in operation.