THE PEACE ISSUES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 7

THE PEACE ISSUES

MR. ASQUITH'S STATEMENT OF

THE ALLIES' AIMS

HUMANITY'S ESCAPE

THE ROAD TO HIGH IDEALS

London, September 27. In the course of his speech :at Leeds (portion of which was reported yesterday). Mr. Asquith said that the Allies did not aim at the annihilation or degradation of tho German people. It was true that the manner in which the war was'engineered and the still more brutal cruelty and refined inventive wickedness by which it was carried on must long affect the world's estimate of the German character. "Nothing has caused the world mors consternation than the frequent applause by German opinion of the barbarous transgressions of its Government. It shows from what unmeasured perils, from what a set-back to civilisation, mankind has been delivered. Now that the Allies have forever shattered the dreams of German hegemony, Prussian militarism is our objective. We have no other wish for the German democracy than that after shaking off this 6oul-destroying incubus it will learn its lessons and enjoy fully the blessings of freedom. "On the" positive side, our first aim is not the restoration of the status quo, but' the ■establishment of an international system under which the nations, great and 6mall, shall be ensured a stable foundation for independent developments. I assume, as a matter of course, that the enemy shall evacuate the occupied territories of France and Russia. I have already referred to Alsace and Belgium. Wherever we turn in Central or in Eastern Europe we see artificial territorial arrangements which offend the populations Concerned, and which have been and must -emain as long as they continue seed-plote of unrest and potential war." In conclusion, Mr. Asquith referred to the claims of Italy, Eumania, Serbia, Poland, Greece, and the Southern Slavs. "There must be a complete and permanent liquidation of these dangerous accounts on lines of racial affinity and the historic tradition and aspirations of the inhabitants. Our ideal," he' said, 'is the creation of a world-wide policy for uniting the people in a confederation of which justice 6hall be the . base . and liberty the corner-stone. Limitation of armaments and international arbitration will be milestones along the road leading to its attainment."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE POPE'S PEACE NOTE FURTHER EXPLANATIONS FROM ROME. ■ • /' . Rome, September 27. The Vatican has announced that the restoration of Riga and all other Russian territory is explicitly and implicitly suggested in tho Pope's appeal. This is interpreted to mean that Germany must relinquish. her plans for a kingdom ot Poland with a German regency, if Una meets the Pope's conditions. It is reported that Germany has been told by the Pope that he views with active displeasure any attempt to restrict the liberties of Herr Erzborger (leader of the German Catholic Party) or of the Catholic .Press, which is firmly supporting the principlo of noVnnexation—Aus.-f«.Z. Cable Assn. THE ENEMY'S MINIMUM TERMS TO BE OUTLINED IN THE " REICHSTAG. (Rec. September 28,. 9 p.m.) Berne, September 27. The "Munchener Post" states tnat the Kaiser has approved of Dr. Michaelis outlining Germany's minimum peace teims in the Reichstag. Austrian newspapers state that this speech will usher in the last phase of the war—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. READY FOR PEACE ; BUT WISHES TO DICTATE TERMS. New York, September 27. The Washington correspondent of the United Press reports: The Bulgarian Minister in Washington, M. Panaretoif, declares that Bulgaria is ready to end the war. She has attained the desired ends, and wants to retain the territory which by language, nationality, and his- ' toric rights belongs to her. On this point he cited President Wilsons statement on national boundaries. Bulgaria, he said, was not interested in Germany s "Mittel Europa" Empire plan, bhc would have preferred to fight with tho Allies, but Germany had mado a more acceptable proposition. Bulgaria entered the war with the object of regaining the Dobrudja, Macedonia, and the parts of Serbia which were unjustly taken from Bulgaria. The nation had no par- v ticular love for the Central Powers. The Bulgar arhiics had fought only on the Serbian and Rumanian fronts. They would not fight against France or Lngland, and would make no offensive except to .maintain the territory she low occupied.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . LABOUR.AND THE WAR AIMS COMMITTEE TO SEEK BASIS OF AGREEMENT. (Rec. September 28, 9 p.m.) ;' London, September 27. 1 conference between the Labour Party's Executive and the Parliamentary/ Committee of the Trade Unions has appointed a sub-committee to ascertain the basis of an agreement on war aims among the British Socialist and Labour organisations, with the object of convening an international Socialist conference in a neutral country when, peace proposals, are ■under discussion.-Aus.-N.Z: Cable Aesn.