BREAKERS AHEAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 143, 12 March 1919, Page 7

BREAKERS AHEAD

KNOTTY PROBLEMS FOR THE PEACE CONGRESS JAPAN AND THE COLOUR LINE ITALY'S CLAIMS By Telegraph-Presa Aseociation-CoDj-riirlit London, March 7. The "Daily Express" correspondent at Paris states that trouble for the Conference will come when tho discussion of tli6 League of Nations begins. Japan retains compelte scepticism of the whole idea.-, and is supported in her attitude by Italy, who demands all thnt the secret treaty of 1915 gave her. .Japan also has ft coup in her determination to bring up the. racial question at the Conference. She will demand that tho Constituion of tho League of Nations shall begin with a similar declaration to that contained in the American Declaration of Independence, declaring ail men of all races equal. How President Wilson and Colonel House will receive this logical suggestion remains to be seen,—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn. "EXTREMIST CLAIMS" AGAINST GERMANY BBITISH MINISTERIAL PRESS URGES CAUTION. London, March 9. There is a growing demand in certain well-informed Ministerial newspapers that the extremists' claims against Germany must be checked. It is admitted dh all hands that Germany must be made to recognise that she has lost the war, and that she must be practically disarmed to an extent compatible with internal order, but the vengeful reactionaries in every Allied country : who are seeking to debase and dismember the enemy must be tvithstood., The "Observer" says;—" The body politic of the whole of civilisation will be poisoned if the Allies adopt sheer Hun■nishness and turn.Germanv into a centre of Bolshevist infection. The next fortnight will be the testing time for Eng-lish-speaking ■ statesmanship. Either it will save the future or surrender it to blind appetites, committing the future to a doom of which France, Italy, and Poland will be the surest viotims in the long run."—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn. ■ TUP INPUITAtHS , CftllPAF lilt 1 /IIWuaDLCj ShICiAL GERMAN COMPLAINT ABOUT THE ARMISTICE TERMS.

■New York, March 8. The Chicago "News" correspondent at Berlin interviewed Captain von Winterfeldt (attached to the German Armistice who said that the Allies made a mistake when they compelled Germany to 6ign the armistice conditions, which were unnecessarily harsh. They should not have feared that Germany would resume hostilities as Germany was decisively beaten. Too little time for Germany to evacuate the occupied territories was granted. There was no need to cut off absolutely the occupied territory from the rest of Germany. The excessive demand for railroad equipment was militarily unjustifiable, and the indefinite maintenance of the blockade is uselessly cruel. The return of Allied prisoners without reciprocity was unfair. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

STRENGTH OF GERMAN ARMY, ffiec. March 11, 7.30 p.m.) •London, March 11. The "Daily Express" Paris correspondent states that the Supreme War Council's suggestion that the German. Army should be limited to a. quarter of a million was a compromise with Foch'e suggestion of 150,000 and the American sugEestion for half a million. Mr. Lloyd George's proposal is for 50,000 to 70,000. —Aus.-N.Z. Cabje Assn.

"DOOM OF CONSCRIPTION EVERYWHERE" (Bee. March 11, 8.15 p.m.) , London, March 11. The "Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent says that the Conference's final decision limits the Germany Army to 100.000 twelve-year volunteers. This de- [ cisibn was reached after M. Clemenceau, Mr. Lloyd George, and Colonel House had conferred privately during the mominn. It means the doom of conscription everywhere—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn. GERMANY'S MILITARY STATUS FIXED. (Rec. March 12, 1.20 a.m.) ' London, March 10. The Press Bureau states that, according to a Paris communique, the Supreme ! War Council has discussed the report of I tho military experts, presented by Marshal Foch, relative to the definite military status of Germany. The terms of the report were fixed, and its conclusions were adopted.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A.s3ri.-Renter. ■ THE GERMANMERCHANTMEN "WE CAN TAKE THEM BY FORCE.?' New York, March 8. The New York "Timea" correspondent at Washington bays that Mr. Edward Hurley (ohairman of the Federal Shipping Board of tho United States), commenting on Germany's refusal to surrender her merchantmen, said:—"There is 'nothing to prevent the Allies from talcing tho vessels by force."—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Aesii. SURRENDER TO BE DEMANDED. (Bee. March 12, 0.5 a.m.) Paris, March 10. The neßotktions which wero interrupted At Sna will bo resumed rtt Brussels on Wednesday, when Sir'Rosslyn Werayss, I for the Allies, will demand the unconditional surrender of tho merchantmen.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE WAR CRIMINALS OFFICIALS TO BE ARRAIGNED. (Rec. Maroh 12, 0.20 a.m.), Paris, March 10. The preliminary Treaty will include a clause requiring Germany to surrender the officials responsible, for tho war crimes for trial by an international tribunal. It is an open secret that Mr. Lloyd George considers that disarmament is tho touclistonb of tho conference. His insistence that' Germany shall disarm is a first stop toward the adoption of a genoral policy of disarmament bv all tho nations.—Renter. \