THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1918, Page 2

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

THE PRELIMINARIES. TO REJECT OR ACCEPT. fA U STK TLT A N Ofc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] new YORK. December 22. The Now York “Times” Paris correspondent states: There will he ' three main preliminary peace conferences. Firstly there will he a meeting of the members of the missons from various countries, to determine wliat thenown countries want . The second stage will be a series of conferences between England, America, France and Italy. It is not expected that the smaller nations will participate in these conferences. It is expected that the “Big Four,’’ will have agreed to a plan by the end of January, . The smaller Allies will after January have the month of February in whicli to state their cases, and to present their claims. It is not proposed that Germany is to have anything to say in the formulation of the peace terms. The peace programme will probably be handed to Germany by the end of March—-to reject or accept it, with tut When Germany signs the peace treaty other treaties will be handed to Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria Hungary lor them to accept or reject. It is not expected that there will be any rejections. , After these treaties have been sign'id the formation of a League of Nations will he considered. •A POSTPONEMENT. NEW YORK December, 22. M. Marcel Hufin says that the Pnlimiuary Peace Conference has been postponed till the beginning of February at tho earliest owing to President Wlson’s vist to England and to M * Lloyd George’s Cabinet reconstruction.