PEACE ISSUES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 7

PEACE ISSUES

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS , A COMBINATION AGAINST WRONGDOERS SPEECH BY PRESIDENT WILSON By Telegraph—Press Association-Oonvrieht New York, March 5. Before his departure for Paris, President AVlson addressed a. public gathering. During tho courso of his speech he 6nid:—"The presence of Mr. Toft shows that tho League is not a partisan issue, and no party dare long oppose it. AVe are the trustees of tho assets of the countries we have liberated, and wo must not shirk our responsibilities. Tho vision necessary for the reforms did not come from statesmen but from peoples. lam amazed at tho comprehensive ignorance of tho opponents to tho scheme. No nation, least of all America, has tho right to set up its selfish interests, against tho intorests of mankind. Many newborn nations will fall in black despair if America fails them. Tho critics ,of the scheme wore impelled by a doctrine of careful selfishness. When tho Treaty of Peace is concluded; the League covenant will be so intertwined with .the treaty that they will. bo inseparable. . Tho League is a combination of all nations against wrongdoers."

Mr. Taft Considers League an Essential to Peace, Mr. Taft, in a spcech, insisted that tho League of Nations was an essential preliminary to the final declaration of peace, bccause new States, with conflicting interests, required tho Leaguo as an establishing influence. The League was nisi necessary to prevent Bolshevism. America's doctrine • was not so much against alliances as against having favourites among nations. If.America failed to participate in the. reconstruction of Europe, she would be a slacker among the nations.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

JOFFRE SAYS WAR WILL BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE' New York, March The "Ne\v York World's" correspondent at Paris interviewed Marshal Joffre, who said that all the nations expect security and stability from the coming peace and the League of Nations. Without the United States as an essential factor, tho League could not have a result worth whilo. If tho : United States is in full accord with the League's principles, the progress of the world will be such that war will become difficult, rare, if not impossible— Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn,

SENATE'S PROCEEDINGS (JNLIKELY TO AFFECT'ACTIONS OF CONFERENCE. . New York, March 6. The "New York Evening'-Post's" correspondent at Washington.points out that closa observers about the Capitol consider that Senator Lodge's list of 37 Senators wh'/ object to the present draft of the League of Nations is merely a warning to tho American peace delegates that thev must consider the wishes of tho Senate. The correspondent adds that small changes in the draft would cause many of the 37 to approvo it, thus destroying tho possibility of formidable opposition. ; ' Another opinion is that it is-unlikely that tho Senate's proceedings:of the past week will have any effect on the actions of the' Peace Conference.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. THE QUESTIONOFINDEMNITIES BRITAIN MEANS TO GET WHAT . SHE CAN... ' r..: London, March C. . Mr. Bonar Law, in tho House of' Commons, replying to a number of criticisms regarding the German indemnity, said there was not a shadow of foundation for the statement that Lord Milner was not strong in his d»siro to make Germany puy, though he expressed the opinion that some of the extreme figures were unattainable. There was no change in tho British policy. "We moan to. get what we can towards the relief of tho terrible burden lying on the country."— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. Lohdon, March 5. Jn the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law said the statement that Britain would refrain from making a nione# claim on tho Germans did not iir tho least represent its intentions.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. REPARATION FORIiIDERED SAILORS TO BE SUH MITT HI) AS" A FIRST DEMAND. London, March 5. Replying to a deputation from the mereantilo marine regarding reparation, for tho relatives of sailors murdered during til; wi.r. the number of whom tho spokesman estimated at twenty thousand, Mr. Lloyd George announced .tlmt. the British deleentes to the Peace Conference, woitid be instructed to submit as a first demand fu'.l compensation for losses at sea, including compensation for the relatives of the dead. Germany must pay this first before the mere indemnity for war expenses. Mr. Lloyd George coucluded by urging that claims should bo immediately, submitted to tlio Foreign Office.— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. THE BELGIUM-HOLLAND PROBLEM ABROGATION OF 1839 TREATY ADVISED. ■, Paris, March 5. . The Commission on Belgian affairs has decided in fnvour of the abrogation of the treaty of 1839. . This permits opening the territorial problem between Belgium anil Holland. Tho Belgians contend that control over Limburg, Luxembourg, and Malmedy is necessary for Belgium's defence, and also that the possession of Zealand, in Flanders, would ensure tho provisioning of Antwerp. Holland should receive in exchange the town of Guoldres, the left bank of tho Ems, Eastern Friesland, with the mouth of the Ems, and the town of Enule.n. Tho Commission dccided that as Holland was a neutral country it. had no-authority to settle tho question of the Scheldt and Limburg, unless Holland desired to placa tho hupstior. before the Conference.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ .