New Britain herald., 1919-12-22
Every Effort Being Made to Have Germany Sign Protocol and Exchange Ratification
 of Treaty
MANY QUESTIONS UP
 FOR MEETING TONIGHT
Preparation for Sinkinc, Fleet at Scan, FIow-Scrbia's Demands for Prior icy in Damage Payment - ,Ja- pan Qucstion-Bclgium Neutrality Among Problems Remaining to Be Solved

SOiEcu.
 Paris, Dec. 22.-The supreme coun- cil, it became known today, is making every effort to reach an agreement With Germany on the question of reparation for the sinking of the German fleet at Scapa Flow so that the protocol may be signed and rati- hcaConS of the treaty of Versailles exchanged before Christmas 1he question was up during a long and busy session of the council this morning when the terms of the note reply1ng to the last communication of the German representatives were con- sidered. No decision being reached. another session will be held at ' | o clock this evening" This meeting will take place in Premier Clemenceaus cabinet at the war off1cc and it is believed that the note if then completed will be handed
 during the evening to Baron Kurt von LerSner. head of the German mission in the hope of eXpediting whatever
 consideration the German delegation hncS necessary to give to it.. Scrbia's Demand. Serbia's demand for priority to the ! amount of 2,5O0,O0O francs in
  that accorded Belgium by the supreme
 council. was discussed by that body at it's session this morning but no decision was reached. It appeared to 1 be tley feeling tha this was a ques- tion for the reparations commission to dispose of after the treaties of Yer sailles and St. Germain had been put 1 into effect h.. ..+ #........ All the powers interested except l Rumania having concurred in the al- lotment for distribution of the rolling stock on the railways of the old Aus 1 tro Hun garian empire, the council de- l cided to send a note to Rumania ask ing her to signify her acceptance. Few Details Left. Very few details now remain to be i disposed of by the council to clean up [ all the work of the peace conference with the exception of the Hungarian
 and Turkish treaties and the Russian
 situation. It was thought today that 1 all else might be disposed of in time l to permit the celebration of Christmas ! in a state of effective peace with Ger
 many, unless that nation maintains
 certain of her objections to the final
 terms, after receiving the councils S
 note.
 Paris Dec 21.--Japanese govern l ment officials are most anxious about l the situation at Irkutsl1, Siberia, ac-
 cording to information reaching peace
 conference circles.
 They would like to send troops
 there, it is said but do not desire to
 do so without having reached an un- | derstanding with the United States and the various Allied governm ents. 1 It is understood the Washington cab l met is not particularly favorable to 1 this suggestion and it is further point ] ed out the Japanese might find them
 selves confronted with various diff 1 iculties arising from congestion of the 1 single track line of the Trans-Siberian l railroad
 1 Paris, Dec. 22 HaNas) Abandon
 cnt of the British plan guaranteeing 1 the neutrality of Belgium for five
 years on the part of the Allies is re- l ported by the Petit Parisien which says the French and British govern
 m cnts arc seeking to reach an agree
 m ent which will give entire satisfac- ! ton to Belgium.
 i In French peace conference circles 1 it is reported entiment is faNora ble 1 to the maintenance to the Turkish | empire under certain guarantees. 1 General Bertholet who has gone to l London, will discuss this question during his stay at the British capital.