THE PEACE NOTE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1917, Page 3

THE PEACE NOTE.

1 VATICAN’S OPINION. 5 OF OERMAXY’S REPLY. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.] ROME, Sept. 2G. According to a Vatican source, the Pope insists that restoration of financial conditions of Belgium, Is (jsson- . tial to clear tho way to tho War’s conclusion. lie warns Germany that her iudefiniteness regarding Belgium, is a further serious obstacle to a just Christian, durable peace, which makes a round-the-tablo conference an utter impossibility.” BAVARIA’S THANKS. ROME, Sept. 26th. The •‘Ageusia National” states the King of Bavaria has thanked tho Pope for his Note, assuring him that the whole German people aspire to peace. WILLING TO HAND OVER BEL- j GIUM. I ROME, Sept. 26. The Vossicho Zeitung says Government at the Reichstag’s holiest will hand Belgium to England. MR. ASQUITH’S VIEWS. REPLY TO GERMANY. , [I*EE PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] j LONDON? September 2i. ( Tile Rt. lion. Mr Asquith, deal- ; ing with our war aims at a meeting at Leeds einplipsised the fact that with negligible exceptions we bad | presented an unbroken front. The ( nation had shown an unshakeahle resolve for three years and it did not

require a petition oftlie righteous ness of its cause to sustain that resolve, but it was useful to' repeat to others

that the peace for which wo are fighting cannot he in a cessation of hostilities followed by territorial bar-

gaining. being ultimately embodied in paper pacts and these left to the mercy of chance. Still less can we look for a peace worthy of the name in any arrangement imposed by the victor "'on the vanquished which ignores the prinicples of right aspirations .and liberties of the peoples affected. Such so-called treaty of 1871 to which single act of international spoliation a large share of tho calamities now devastating the world can he traced .

A NEBULOUS REPLY. fPER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received this day at, 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 27. Air. Asquith continued —’Hie (Germans replv to the Pope teemed with nebulous unaotious generalities. There was no indication that Germany would i not repeat the crimes of 1871 and take practical steps for a lasting peace. Was she roadv to restore Alsace and Belgium to full indepon<--.'iK'o. without i reservations, with as complete a mater- j in I compensation as possible >or the devastation of the country and the stiff erings of the people. j A definite reply to the enquiries : would be given in a couple of sentences which would be worth the whole column of pious platitudes. TIRPITZ’S BOAST. I [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] HOME, Sept. 26. i Admiral Von Tirpitz added that a military victory will he gained when we so desire*. The meeting passed a resolution against the Reichstag majority’s tyranny, and the feeble attitude of the Government on a peace renunciation. RUSSIA AND SEPARATE REACT ' PETROGRAD, Sep. 26. At a plenary sitting of tho Soviet’s Central Committee an announcement ; was made that the Government bad received from England and France a categorical declaration that any Geiman attempt to conclude a separate peace on Russia’s account would be indignantly refuted. England and France consider that the idea should not be given even passing consideration.

HER IJN A NT) THE 1 ’Ol *K. j , DESIRE TO SO END TDK ALLIES, j r ACSTKA MAN & S.X. CABI.B ASSOCIATION'] j ROME. Sep. 20. Semi-official: The Vatican organ believes that- a concerted secret exists with regard to conditions of peace on which Berlin would Hko the Holy See to sound the Allies’ Chancellories as soon as possible. BULGARIA READY' FOR PEACE. SAYS A RESPONSIBLE MINISTER. -.-.wi ti,; s llav at 11.25. am.) WASHINGTON,' September 27. j The Bulgarian Minister I’anatetofl. j declares that Bulgaria is ready to end the war having obtained her desired end. She wants to retain the territory which by language, nationality and historic rights belong to her. , 1 He cited President Wilson’s nationid boundaries statement. Bulgaria preferred to fight with the Allies, but Germany made a more acceptable proposition'for her to enter the war with the object of gaining Dobrndja. Macedonia. and parts of Serbia which been unjustly taken from Bulgaria. Bulgaria had no particular lore, for the Central Powers. Bulgaria’s armies fought only on the Serbian, and ! Roumanian fronts. They would not fight against France or England. They I would make no offensive except to : maintain the. territory they now oecu- ’ pied.