Evening star., 1919-03-10
NEW BRITISH VIEW
ON HUN WARSRPS
Now Willing to Let France
and Italy Have Some
of Vessels.
SEEN AS HELP TO U. S.

tho Associated Pressp.-Prelimi-
nary pence negotiations may begin
at Versailles about March 20. ac-
cording to reports in circulation
here today Count Won Brockdorff-
Rantxau. the foreign minister, now
Is arranging for n small party of
prominent business men to accom-
pany the German commissioners as
experts. These men have been in
sfructed to hold themselves in
readiness for possible departure
March II or March 10.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, March l0.-A change in the
attitude of the British government re-
iyarding the plan to sink interned Ger
nan warships has been noticed since
the return of Premier Lloyd George to
Paris.
1t now appears probable that in
stead of the German craft being sunk,
Great Britain will be willing to per-
init France and Italy to keep some of
the ships. but win consent to sink her
own allotment
Would Relieve United States.
In this way, it is said, Great Britain
would relieve the United States of the
necessity of carrying out her project
ed great naval building program
which it is understood was based on
the intention to prevent any one ma
tion from having such q predominant
navy as would give her control of ehe
seas against the powers of the league
of nations.
The addition of a limited number
of the German warships to the French
and Italian navies would not sensibiy
disturb the present balance of naval
power, excluding Austria and Ger
many.
The desire of American naval ex-
perts that the German ships be elm
mated completely. it is said. is based
on considerations of economy. as they
hold that if the German ships are
given to Great Britain in the proper
tion proposed the United States would
be compelled to spend $1,000, ,e0o,0 ,0e0
to maintain her place in the naval
lists.
Czechs Fearful of Huns.
Progress of the .czechosloeak COM
mission of the peace conference is re-
pofted In an official statement bf fhe
Commission today. 1t states that on
Saturday the commission COMPLETED
the study of the position OF. Sfovakia
and examined certain "details Of the
position Of Bohemia
The German danger still exists. in
the opinion Of Foreign Minister Benes
Of Czechosiovakfa, according to an in
teryiew printed in the Matin.
That danger must be guarded
against" he is quoted as saying.
in Y,N
are those who supported the war.
and in addition the material forces
of Germany are diminished but little.
If France is attacked the smaller ma
tions to the east will be called upon
to face war. There must be; safe
guards on both sides of Germany.
"I advocate the naturalization of
the left bank of the Rhine German
Austria and part of Sifesia. which.
being German, cannot be given to
either Poland or Czechosloyakia. and
forms a dangerous salient between
the two countries.
some day international problems
will be settled by the league of ma
tions, but the plan for this organi-
zation is not yet completed. For the
moment it is impossible to think of
absolute guarantees The continu-
ance of the alliances created during
the war is the only assurance that
peace can be maintained"
Commission to Laibach at Once.
(Havas)-Premier Clemenceau, as
president of the peace conference, has
sent a letter to the head of the inter
allied commission at Trieste advising
him that the military commission ap-
pointed by the supreme council to in
vestigate the Italo-Jugos1ay incidents.
which caused the recent acute feeling
between the two peoples, will proceed
at once to Laibach.
The Matin prints the text of this
letter, which says that after the facts
have been verified the commission will
take all necessary action, including
orders for punishment of the guilty
and any compensation or satisfaction
which it may be decided is due the
Italian government.
The commission win give notice. the
letter said, that any similar incidents
in the future will cause interallied
military occupation of the localities
where such incidents arise, under the
terms of the Austrian armistice, and
that such action will not exclude the
taking of any more severe measures
the commission might deem to be war
ranted.
France and Italy. according to the
Gaulois, are fully in accord in op-
posing energetically the union of Ger
man Austria with Germany.