SPA CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 199, 18 May 1920, Page 7

SPA CONFERENCE

CONCESSIONS TO BE CLAIMED BY GERMANS RESTORATION OF SHIPPING AND COLONIES DELAY IN FIRST PAYMENT OF INDEMNITY (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Paris, May 16. Paris learns that the German delegates to the Spa Conference will claim Upper Silesia for Germany, regardless of the result of the plebiscite. They will also claim the restoration of a portion of Germany's commercial fleet, tho restoration of German colonies, a reduction in the cost of the armies of occupation, supplies of raw material from' the- Allies, with a view to reconstructing industry, permission to establish an army of 200,000 men, and permission to immediately join the League of Nations. Tho delegates will also aim at tho longest possible postponement of the first payment of the indemnity, and will probably givo an undertaking that Germany will restore houses in the devastated regions of France, using German money and labour .-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 'POSTPONEMENT OF CONFERENCE AGREED TO —/ — TREATY. TERMS TO BE ENFORCED. • London,/ May 15. M*. Lloyd George and M. Millerand to-day agreed to a postponement of tho' Spa Conference till after the German general elections. The date provisionally suggested is June 21.. It is agreed that the Treaty of Versailles shall be-maintained in full force, particularly tho.disarmament clauses, the enforcement of which should not be postponed until after the Sp!i meeting. In other words, the.question of disarmament will not be discussed at .Spa. e • As regards M, Millerand .provisionally assented totho. fixing of a definite, sum. subject to certain conditions, one of which is that France shall receive a payment on account .from the Germans. The financial experts are to be consulted later.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FRANCE'S INDEMNITY DEMAND DESCRIBED IN BERLIN AS "FANTASTICALLY EXORBITANT." .•-. Berlin, May 16. Financial circles.describe as fantastically exorbitant the five thousand to ten tnousand millions sterling mentioned by Paris newspapers as the indemnity 1 ranee will demnnd—Aus. : N.Z. Cable .Assn, ORDER OF PAYMENT ANGLO-FRENCH COMPROMISE. London, May 16. Semi-official disclosures,state that Mr. Lloyd George demurred at M. Millerand'jS claim that the payment of reparAtion for. the devastated areas of iFrailce fihpnld receive priority out of tho inslalljieiits of. Germany's indemnity, A. .mutually satisfactory compromise was arranged, by which the repayment of Britisli loans, to France shall extend'over the same period as .Germany's payment of reparation. .-The previous arrangement stands, by which Belgium will receive the first hundred millions sterling, Germany's indemnity to Franco will take 55 per cent of the subsequent payments; Britain will receivc/25 per cent., and tho other Allies 20 per'cent.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn • . ■ ' - GERMANY'S CAPABILITY TO PAY EXAMINATION TO BE MADE BY . -EXPERTS.-.. (Rec. May 17, 7.20 p.m.)' - ■ . London, May 16, Tho Hythe conference has concluded. An official statement says that the French and British Governments recognise oil tho one hand, it is to the general interest that reparation for losses and damage due to the war 6honld be 'secured' as soon as possible. "With this object the necessary resources should 'be modo available without delay.' On tM other hand it is.desirable that Germany should be put in a position to regain financial autonomy by speedy fulfilment of her obligations. The. Governments therefore express the opinion that in order to. solve the economic difficulties gravely weighing upoii,,tho world and definitely mark the • beginning of an era of peace, it is important to,reach a settlement which will cover the wholo body of international liabilities let't.aa a legacy of the war, and which at the same time will ensure parallel liquidation of the inter-Allied war debt and the reparation debts of the Central Empires. Accordingly,'experts will be charged (l)'to prepare immediately for examination by their two Governments of proposals fixing the minimum total'for the German debt which will be capable of .acceptation by tho Allies and at the same tinio compatible ; with Germany's capacity tc pay; (2) to determine the method of payment and capitalisation of'. Germany'! debl. which will.be best calculated tc assure realisation of the general view* •expressed above; (3) to establish conditions for division between.the Allies ol the payment by Germany in accordance with agreements which certain of the Allies havo already reached', and which remain to be definitely settled in the case ■of other Allies.—lmperial News Service. evacuationlTfrankfort SAFEGUARDS DEMANDED BY THE FRENCH. ■ (Rec. May 18, 1.15 a.m.) ■ ' _ Berlin, May 17.. With a view to preventing a repetition of the untoward incidents on the occasion of the evacuation of Frankfort, the French have demanded a number of hostages, also a guarantee of a million marks, —Reiiter. , ■ i PEACE TERMSroR HUNGARY DEMONSTRATION OF PROTEST. ' Budapest, May 16. §A. hundred thousand demonstrators protested against the peace terms. They have sent an appeal to the United Statea asking for the moral support of George Washington's people. The demonstrators marched to a park and laid wreatlis on Washington's monument. _ It is expected the Hungarian Government will resign to-morrow. A Coalition Government will probably be formed — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SWITZERLAND r AND~THE LEAGUE REFERENDUM FAVOURS JOINING. \ Zurich, May 10. A Swiss referendum on the question of joining the League of Nations resulted in a small majority in favour of tho pro-posal—Aus.-N.Z.'Cable Assn. (Rec. May 18, 1.15 a.m.) Berne, May 17. Tho voting on the question of joining the League of Nations was: For, 407,910; igaiust, 325,510.—Reuter.