Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-15
ALLIES WILL SOON
FIX |NDEMN|T|ES
TEUTONS MUST PAY
France Given Priority at Pre-
miers' Meeting-League
Council in Rome.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
HYTHE. England. May 15.-Ger-
many is not to be left much longer in
doubt as to the amount of indemnity
which she will have to pay under the
treaty of Versailles 1t was decided
at the conference which began here
this morning between Premier Mil
lerand OF France and Premier Lloyd
George of Great Britain and their ad-
visers that definite sum should be
named for Germany to pay.
This decision was the most i'm
portant result Of the morning confer
ence, held at Beauclaire, the resi-
dence of Sir Phillip Sasson. near here.
Demands Priority.
Premier Millerand accepted the prin-
ciple Of naming a fixed amount on
condition that France should be con-
coded priority. so that in effect she
will have a first mortgage on the Ger
man indemnity. and that part of the
payment to her be made Immediately
Belgium. ii is stated. will be placed
on the same basis as France.
For another thing. the conferees de-
cided that the date OF the Spa confer
eIce Of the members of the supreme
council with the German leaders
should be held on June 81. instead or
May %, the date previously selected
Germany will be notified of the ma
ture of the proceedings and of what
terms will be presented to her. and
there will be no debate.
The agreements reached by the pre-
miers today are subject to ratification
by Italy and Belgium. The conference
Of the premiers and their aides opened
tended, in addition to the two pre-
mieres. by NJ. Francois-Marsal. the
French minister Of finance: J. Austen
Chamberlain. the British chancellor OF
the exchequer: the coal controllers or
France and England and Paul Cam
bon. the French ambassador at Lon
don.
The conference was Called primarily
to discuss the subject Of the meeting
at Spa.
Council Of League Meets.
LONDON, May 15.-Decisions reached
at yesterdays meetings of the coun-
Gil of the league of nations meeting
at public meeting tomorrow. accord
ing to a Reuters dispatch from the
Italian capital. The most important
will be made public at the final open
session of the council next Wednes-
day. The program for the day in
cludes the following questions:
Calling a general assembly OF all ma
tions that are members Of the league.
Repatriating prisoners OF war still in
Siberia. International protection for
inquiry into conditions in Russia.
Claims Of the German government:
The labor question. Registration OF
treaties. Requests from newly formed
states for admission to the league. In
ternational statistics and matters con-
corning transport.
Tittoni Made President.
ROME, May 1.-THE fifth session Of
the council of the league of nations
met at the ministry of the colonies this
afternoon. On motion by Leon Bour-
geois. France, Signor Tfttoni. president
Of the Italian senate. was elected presi-
dent and delivered the inaugural speech.
Thirty-six states were represented
Regret was expressed that a delegate
of the United States was not present.
The council discussed the advisability
of sending a commission to investigate
the situation in Russia Permanent COM
missions to study the question Of arma-
ments. to deal with procedure connected
with registration Of treaties. and one to
Of prisoners in Siberia were decided
upon.
May Invite Mr.. Wilson to Act.
Among the more important questions
which will come up for discussion
will be that Of inviting President Will
son to convoke the first assembly OF
the league Of nations, which is expect :;
ed to take place in the autumn.
According to the Tribuna, the coun-
Gil of the league Of nations decided
today to reply to NJ. Tchitcherin. the
Russian bolshevik foreign minister.
that the leagues commission must be
received in Russia unconditionally.
This was in answer to a Moscow wire
less dispatch of May 9 saying that
in view of the fact that certain men,
bers of the league of nations were
actively supporting Poland and the
Ukraine, the central soviet could not.
for military reasons. admit into Rus
STA any delegation which included rep
resentatives OF those nations, although
the soviet supported the principle OF
the leagues decision to send an in
vestigating delegation into Russia.