The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-24
ALLIES SEEK
HARMONY IN
VIEWS TODAY
Representatives of Great Brit
ain, France, Belgium and
Spain Gather IN Paris to Dis
cuss Problems. --a-
SETTLE PREPARATIONS
tBy Associated Press)

(By Associated Press) r..
PARIS, Jan. 24.-Representative of
Great Britain, France, Italy. Belgium
and Japan gathered here today for a
conference which seemed second In i'm
portance only to that preceding the
signing of the treaty of Versailles.
The principal figures of the meeting
were David Lloyd George. British
prime minister, and Aristide BRAND.
who last week assumed the post of
president of the council of the French
republic.
About these men the negotiations of
the conference are expected to revolve
during the coming week and it was
believed that when the conference will
have finally adjourned, the allied world
will have settled questions long pend
ing and long threatening serious COM
plications, not only between ally and
enemy countries, but between the gov
ernments which fought side by side
against the central empires from 1914
to 1918. The importance of these
subjects ranked as follows:
Many Problems.
Reparations, disarmament Of Ger
many, enforcement or alteration of the
treaty with Turkey, relief for Austria
and policies to be pursued in dealing
with Russia.
All Of them were questions on which
the different participant nations were
more or less divided, and the settle
ment Of which was viewed with great
concern.
Arrangements for the first session
this morning contemplated discussion
OF German disarmament by allied mil
itary experts, who are understood to
have agreed on a solution which would
grant a short period of grace to Ger
many in which to execute the engage
ments she made at the Spa conference.
May Ratify Plan.
These agreements call for demobili-
zation and disarmament of armed fore
es under the surveillance of an inter
allied control COMMISSION and it was
believed the conference would not be
called upon to do more than to ratify
the plan submitted by the experts
which should not require more than
one. sitting.
The program for the day, which. of
course, was but provisional. called for
consideration of the subject of coal
deliveries, the arrangement made be-
tween the allies and Germany at Spa
expiring on January 81. 1t was fore
cast that the allies would endeavor to
reach a new decision on the subject
as rapidly as possible, so that Ger
many might be notified before that
date.
Get to Real Business.
This business, once out of the wav,
the conference would be free to devote
all its time and energies to the uues-
tinn nf r-hi iol,
ly the most important to come before
the meeting and upon which much de-
pended. NJ. BRAND, it has been assert
ed, owed his selection as French prem
ier, to the fact that he was considered
to be the man who could most clearly
and convincingly plead the cause of
France regarding reparations before
the conference.
The financial and economic position
Of France and the possible negotiation
of loans in America were considered
in the preparations made by the
French cabinet to lay the claims of
France before the allied govern
ments.
May Summon Germans.
German financial and economic ex-
perts may be summoned to this CITY
before the conference has continued
very long. Inc contention or Premier
Lloyd George that he conference fix
the amount of indemnity to be paid
by Germany, which is opposed by
Premier BRAND. who holds that the
amount of reparations to be paid the
allies should be determined only on
the basis Of what Germany can be
compelled to pay, seemed to be Of such
a nature that expert German advice
must be called upon for data.
The discussion of the disarmament
of German citizen guards. and the re-
ouction of that nations armed forces
10 the limit fixed by the Versailles
treaty, also appeared to require the
submission of information on the exact
situation, especially in Bavaria and in
Prussia.
Consider Greece.
The situation that arose in Greece
following The return of Constantine TO
Athens also seemed to nave a direct
bearing on the conference. II is no
secret, by which Turkey was sborn of
sovereignty over Constantinople. the
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