NEARING THE END

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 169, 11 April 1919, Page 7

NEARING THE END

THE PEACE CONGRESS

FINAL TOUCHES TO THE CHARTER REPARATION TERMS By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. April 10, 7.30 p.m.) Paris, April 9. The work of drafting the Peace Treaty is progressing. The naval, military, and air terms have been completed and finoily approved. The terms prepared by tho Waterways Commission, the Labour charter, the League of Nations, and a number of territorial questions have already been drafted by tho secretariat, but require the formal approval of tlie plenipotentiaries. The questions which tho Council of Tour are still considering aro likely to be completed this week, when an interval for drafting will ensue during which Mr. Lloyd George will visit. England and address tho JJoiir.e of Commons on the eve of tho Easter recess, generally explaining the work of the conference. There will be no question of publishing tho terms of the treaty before they are submitted to the Germans. A plenary sitting will consider the charter on Fri-day.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN REPARATION FIRST PAYMENT IN CASH AND RAW MATERIALS. Paris, April 9. The "Echo de Paris" estimates that Germany's first payment of reparation damages will amount, to 55,000 million francs (about 1000 millions sterling) in cash and raw materials. The Council of Four has approved a reparation clause which specifies that tho enemy countries must admit responsibility for loss and damage to tlio Allied and associated nations, and also to their citizens, as quo to unjustifiable aggres-sion—Aus.-N.Z. Caiblo Assn. FRENCH CLAIMS TO THE SAAR VALLEY. New York, March 20 (delayed). The New York "Times" correspondent in Paris learns that M. Clemenceau demanded tho annexation of the Saar Valley in tho reparation claims, his vjow being that it would be payment in kind for tho devastated mining regions' of France. The United States and Britain opposed tho scheme.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable As3n. GERMAN FINANCIERS' VIEWS. Paris, April 7. German financial experts have intimated that Germany wil bo nnablo to continue paying in gold for food, as she will soon exhaust her gold' supply in meeting credits falling duo in neutral countries. The Allies have called a conference of prominent noutrnls, to explain what theso German credits are, and why they aro not being renewed.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. CAPACITY TO PAY. (Rec. April 10, 7.30 p.m.) Paris, April (1. It is believed that the Financial Commission will fix the first two inslalmonts of Germany's indemnity at .-81,(100,000.00ft annually. The Reparation Commission has adopted the sub-committee's report dealing with Germany's capacity to pay. -Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.

WILL STAND BY ORIGINAL PRINCIPLES REPORTED DECLARATION BY PRESIDENT WILSON. New York, April 29 (delayed). The New York "Tribune" avers that President Wilson has authorised a.state, ment that lie intended to stand by the principles which he enunciated before the Allies accepted the armistioe terms.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn..

"IE MATIN" ATTACKS AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS. ■ . Paris, April 9. The "Matin" has accused the Americans of attempting to blackmail Franco into acquiescing in the American viewpoint by spreading the story tlidt President Wilson has deciaed. that unless lie is granted his own way he will return immediately to the United States.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

A GLOOMSURVEY DR. DILLON'S ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION (Rec. April 10, 8.30 p.m.) London, March 31 (delayed). Dr. Dillon, tho "Daily Telegraph's" Paris correspondent, states that M. Clcmenceau, at an early stage of the proceedings, desired the annexation of the Saar Valley, which the Anglo-American delegates deprecated, considering that it. contained the germs of future mischief. An animated debate resulted on two proposals : 1. A British undertaking to hasten to France's assistance at tho first alarm; 2. The establishment of a permanent inter-Allied Vigilance Board in Paris which would watch Germany's movements. . Tho French delegates questioned the value of the British undertaking if conscription were abolished, and tlicy continue to claim the military occupation of tho Saar Valley until the debt is discharged. _ , "Meanwhile," says Dr. Dillon, Bolshevism threatens to spread to Bohemia, where the soil ls favourable, and to Ger-man-Austria, where tho soil is unfavourable. Tho Poles are less liable to Bolshevism, but are threatened by Ukrainians and the Magyars, while the Germans are forming an anti-Polish union. War and preparations for wars are a continuous accompaniment of the peaco concert. The Czecho-Slovaks have issued a mobilisation order; Rumania is steadily mobilising; General Haller's Polish Army is about to proceed to IConigsbergj the Hungarians are preparing to attack Rumania; the Allies will probably nut up a fight at Odessa (since evacuated), where the food supply would bo exhausted by the end of April." Private advices from Berlin state tliat many propagandists of Bolshevism in political circles argue that it is incomparably preferable to suffer, and more dignified than tho masked slavery of peace terms. They advocate that a wholly different experiment from the Russian idea be undertaken methodically, with the whole-hearted co-operation of the educated classes surviving tho bu-reaucracy,—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. "A CASTLE IN SPAIN" EX-QUEENSLAND BISHOP ON THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. (R-cc. April 10, 8.30 p.m.) London, April 9. Bishop Frodsliam (ex-Bishop of Queensland) contributes a powerful criticism of tho League of Nations _ in the Nineteenth Century" magazine, especially in relation to the Pacific. Ho calls it a theoretical venture, a glorious dri'inn. ' would bo a world disaster, he says, if the Empire were undermined to make room fur an imperfectly thought-out scheme for building a Palace, of Peace, which may be another 'Castlo in >,pam. —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. |'"A Castle in Spain" was a favourite legend of swindlers in an earlier era. Those who believed ill the assertions of those who claimed to own "a castle in Spain," too oftonfound taut those "castles" did not exist, save in the imaginations of their "owners. I

JAPAN AND THE ORIENT

NEW FORMULA. AVANTED. New York, April 8. Dispatches from Paris state that tip Australian delegates pointed out that the proposed amendment of the Loogue oi Nations oovenant, recognising the Jlonroo Doctrine, would validate una con* firm Japan's clnims for preponderance of powor in China and the Orient, Iho

experts lire trying to find a formula lo overcome tlio objection.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE'WAR STATEMENT BY GERMAN DELEGATE. Berlin, April 7. The leader of the German peace deleRate?, Ileir Rantzau, announces that if the Peace Conference decides to cast on Germany the whole responsibility ior the war. Germany will to 1 : lalte it lying down.—Aus.-N.si. Cable Assn. WORLD'S LABOUR CHARTER PARIS CONVENTION. (Roe. April 10, 7.25 p.ni.) London, .April 0. The convention embodying the draft terms of a viorld Labour charter consists of forty-one articles. 11; provides for a general conference of representatives of the signatory Powers. The convention establishes an* international Labour office as part of the organisation of the League of Nations. .Hie office will collect and distribute information.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. IRELAND AT Til PEACE CONFERENCE New York, March 120 (delayed!. The New York "Times" correspondent at Washington stares that three deleRates from the Irish Race Congress will be granted passports to sail for Paiv4 on April L'fl for (he purpose of presenting tiio claims for Irish freedom to the I'e.-ice Conference —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

OVERSEAS MINISTERS PLANS FOR 'RETURN HOME. Paris, .'pril 8. The Dominion representatives at the Peace Conference ore thinking of returning to their homes. 'Die New Zealand Ministers have booked passages t'roni Vancouver l'or Juno 21.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CZECHO-POLISH FRICTION STATEMENT BY PADEREWSKI. Paris, April 7. There is still considerable friction between the Poles and tho Czezehs over the disposition of Teschen. M. Paderewski, in an interview, emphatically calls for material help and moral support to prevent an internal collapse, which would he a catastrophe for Europe and would point a sure way for the success of Lenin and Trotslcy.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. DIVERSE VIEWS. (Rec.,April 10, 7.31) p.m.) Paris, April 9. M. Paderewski. in pleading for Poland, said to his interviewer: "Without Danzig. Poland would become an empty shell. If Teschen were lost Poland's industries would bo crippled for want of coal." On the other hand, M. Krammcz, in nn interview, insists that the Czechs need Teschen's coal. Ho eays: "Tlio Poles have ample coal in Silesia. If the Crerhs' faith in the Allies is destroyed Bolshevism will seize the Czccli working elnsscs."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.