Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-16
PUBLIC OPINION
WINS FIRST BATTLE
IN CONFERENCE
Continued from page /.

>tutHuVN ilOIh Ddke
Within, the Conference hall Is rapid
~ filling. Fleasant-faced young chaps,
all OF them clad In closely fitting
morning coats. and most of them
wearing the literary spectaclos
which Rudyard kipling made popular,
stand about the doorways and see to
II that each seat holder is properly
directed to his place. All is dccorous
Solemn, and everyone talks In hushed
tones. There is no raucous laughter,
ana no loud conversation which one
hears so often in theatre Hobbies Just
before some great play is cnat ted.
But this Is to be the second phase Of
the first act OF one of the greatest
real-life dramas staged since the fam
GUS Congress of Vienna. But unlike
that gathering, which partitioncd Eu-
rope to its lising. this is one in which
the people. through mass opinion. are
having some influence,
The galleries rapidly fiji with mcm-
bers of Congress, their friends at
tachcs OF the various embassies, and
few others who are fortunate
enough TO number as friends some
Official FOR the time being in high Of
iice. The press sections have already
fiiled. On the right side sits William
Jennings Bryan, who more than once
has inflamed the Nation by his pleas
Tor peace. An electric globe. above and
To the rear of him, sheds it's light SC
that persons seated behind him see :.
reflection from his pate which one
could call halo. Across the way. IN
the left press section, sits II. G.. Wells
VINO in the past two years has becam,
u peace advocate for millions of foll
who have absorbed his written idea {
tbs hair is plentiful. and from time [,
uEhe ne runs his hand through Il
nerNously. There is no hnlo there
unless an admirer imaginos it.
The Sky-Gray Cloak.
The boxes fill with ladies'. who no,
cheerily TO one another. A group n
young Italian officers. who are attend
ing Senator Schanzer, enter and stan,
IN the centre of the Conference floor
They are young. Their sl<y-gra,
0ioaks drape from the shoulders g,
charmingly. From time To time the,
Gesticulate. and bow TO one anothe,
they are young, yet.
n group of Japancse-at least .
ot them-clad in ordinary busines
suits, come from the main doorway
lhey take seats to the rear of III
green-covered horseshoe table Tho
are portion of those 90 or more ex
rerts that Japan has on hand IN civ
information on any conceivable rro
: b!cm that may puzzle the Emperor
} delegates.
Other military attaches enter. an
theh sray-cloaked youths are n
> longer the cynosure OF all eyes. The
/ must divide attention with severa
: ""ughty-looking English naval. mo,
VINO have bit of unconscious swan
enon; thcm. They also cravita,o 70
ware The centre. There they arc 500
ny persons seated in all corners 7
contrast III them are three Frpnc,,
men' slender as the canes they carr,
VINO wear the French naval uniform
d ihey seem delicate beside ,bos
: heavyset Englishmen,
ihere is stir at n side doo,-ua,
me members of the American Ad
'isory' committee are entering. Their
fershing, in khaki smiling an
lowing 10 few friends; Sam Common
= looking fresh and far more vouthf,
q tfan he appeared year ago. nm
"ont overlook young tn eodore Roose
% Neit. In contrast TO the older oe
i ne appears almost as boyish as SON,
= oi those youths in uniform who n,
" sun holding centre stage before az
= miring feminine eyes.
i "Less Formallty.-
Some one in a far corner saw
"a sn-h-h'" 1t is repeated n hundr,
: times. There is sudden silence. TT
4 youngsters in the centre scurrv
thelr seats. Enter the delegates
The foreign governments. who hs
d been waiting i'm an ante-room. Tn,
enter Hughes. smiling. He is gree
ed with a patter Of applause. and tn,
. the audience rises. Il is exactly elev,
u o'clock. Mr.. Hughes bangs on Il
table. and is given attention. In II
past he has never lacked dignity. No
I've is dignity incarnate.' But in O,
contrast to his Appearance ane Il
words which he is uttering. You he
him say that THE less formality q
= letter" Then he plunges into {,
Y business Of the day without more ad
y He is speaking.
Il have the honor to report to Il
Conference that the committee on pr
gram and procedure with respect
-nfh e