"IF AUSTRIA WANTS PEACE"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2440, 20 April 1915, Page 5

"IF AUSTRIA WANTS PEACE"

SHE MUST ASK FOR IT GERMANY STILL DICTATORIAL London, April 18. A Petrograd message says that Austria has not directly approached fus6ia regarding peace terms. The Pope, upon non-official Austrian instigation, Bounded Russia, who replied: "If. Austria wants peace, she must ask the Allies their conditions." —("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) GERMAN EX-MINISTER ON PEACE TERMS PREPARED TO SURRENDER BELGIAN TERRITORY. Washington, April 18. . Herr Dcrnburg, in a letter read at a pro-German mass meeting at Portland, Maine, asserted that Germany never had any intention of securing world dominion; she.was much too modest for any suoh thing. Germany's aim was to keep the seas open to all nations in war time as well as in peace time. Personally, ho favoured the neutralisation of all seas, and an international agreement that all cables and mail communications 'should be internationalised.

If these demands were complied with Germany would agree to give up Belgium, provided commercial relations between Belgium and Germany were placed on a just, workable basis. Professing to speak with full authority, Herr Dernburg intimated tho terms on whioh Germany was prepared to consider the question of peace. First, sbo would surrender Belgian territory and help to rebuild and re-establish the country: second, Germany to have a trade outlet through Belgium; third, an international guarantee of absolute freedom of the seas to all nations, and international control of all cables and mail services. A CORRECTION (f) (Rec. April 19, 11.45 p.m. • Sydney, April 19. Correction: Dernberg said "Germany unsurrender (will not surrender) Belgium." [We publish this message as received.] THE INEVITABLE CONVICTION. (Reo. April 19, 10.25 p.m.) Paris, April 19. "Le Matin" declares that it is in a position to state that Herr Ballin and the President of the Deutsche Bank both declared a few days ago. that the war was lost to Germany, one of them adding: "And the German' ; people knpw nothing of it!" LATEST MOVE OF THE CERMAN PRESS. HINTS OF CONCILIATION WITH BRITAIN.. Amsterdam, April 18. The newspaper "Kreuz Zeitung" alleges that influences are working to persuade Germany to secure a reconciliation with Britain as a way of guaranteeing Germany against tho principal foe to the fulfilment of her war aims. The Sooialist journal "Vorwaerts" remarks: "We would welcome any influence that would bring about an agreement with England." A SEPARATE PEACE PREDICTED. Paris, April 18. The "Kreuz Zaitune" forecasts a sep-1 arate peace, as Russia has no hopo of victory on tho Eastern front.