THE PEACE TREATY.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 December 1919, Page 2

THE PEACE TREATY.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) hi USING THE IRON GLOVE. gl PARIS December 6. The “Matin” reports the French are ei moving heavy artillery towards the n right bank of the Rhine. Many guns I k>P large calibre have crossed Kclil P bridge. 11 THE GERMAN OFFER. (PARIS Deoenrßer 6. c According to the Chicago “Tribune” 1 correspondent the German peace dele- £ gates will return to Paris to ratify the I treaty subject to three concessions first- i ]y the submission of Scapa Flow sinking ’ to the League of Nations; secondly < elimination from the protocol of the Allies threats of coercive measures if Germany faiils to carry out the terms of the treaty; thirdly that Germany be allowed to discuss the technical side of the surrender of material. Tlie “Tribune” believes the Allies will accept the second and third. i navy getting ready. 1 LONDON Dec. 6. I The Navy has been ordered to hold itself in readiness to reimpose the block- i ade on Germany. Admiral Beatty has been summoned to Paris. The absence ; of the time limit in the Allied Note is believed to indicate the German readj- ' ness to climb down. THE GERMAN DIFFICULTY, i BERLIN, December 6. i The full text of Von Reuter’s letter 1 is officially published, with an addendum declaring the purpose of the comy municatiou was rather to admonish the a crews who were uneasy about- their e personal fate, to continue to hold out. t There is no- hint of forcibly solving the e future fate of the ships. On the eone trary the entire letter is based on the - idea that in accordance with the intention of the German Admiralty this 3- question should be solved by" way of A negotiations. The statement again conc- tends that Von Reuter was led to order s- the sinkings purely by the assumption se that the armistice had expired.

THE PROTOCOL. LONDON, December 6

The “Weekly Despatch’s” Berlin correspondent says the newspapers in sea re headed articles declare Germany won’t sign the protocol unconditionally but the Government is clearly wobbling and there are persistent rumours of ministerial resignations. Apparently members of Cabinet are divided. The k Foreign Office is uncertain howfar it is able to go. Another deputation including non-diplomats is going to Paris shortly, instructed to endeavour to secure concessions sufficient to save the Government’s face.

GERMANS GETTING OUT. LONDON, December 7th. Telegrams from Switzerland report an exnuus of wealthy Germans from the right bank of the Rhine. The number f Germans awaiting permission to enter Switzerland i s increasing daily. KIEL CANAL INCIDENT. BERLIN, December 6. Semi-official—While the British steamer St Helena was anchored in Hodinau locks of Kiel Canal, a plan aboard escaped. A British patrol pursued and fired on'him. German troops occupied the locks and police from Kiel boarded the steamer and found German war prisoners en route to Danzig te be forcibly incorporated in the Polish ’Legion. Tliev had been selected from prisoners camps in England on account of their Polish names. It was pointed out that the men were in German waf tors, therefore they were no longer prisoners. The captain of the St Helena protested at the release of six hundred not wishing to remain. About one hundred remained and proceeded to Danzig. 'Hie German Government has protested vigorously' to fhe InterAllied Navail Commission at the infraction of German ’Sovereignty and the armistice involved ip the passage of a steamer through the canal with German prisoners apd file crews’ use of, firearms, A DISTURBING TELEGRAM. LONDON, December 9. The “Times” Amerongen correspondent states that the ax-Kaiser and Prince Adalbert received a telegram from Germany reporting that . the French Army had entirely occupied Germany. Prince Adalbert immediately loft for Germany. The ex-Kaiser and Kaiserine are very nervous. " A SHARP REPLY. PARIS, Dee. 6. The Supreme Council’s Note to Germany' says the signature of the proetoeol and deposit of the ratifications will determine the repatriation of the treaty and consequent state of peace which will be guaranteed by the general treaty stipulations, as well as the ordinary methods recognised by international law. The Supreme Council reminds Germany for the last time that the denounciation of the. .armistice will be suffi cient to give the Allied armies full latitude, which a view to the military measures they judge necessary. In this spirit we expect the signature of the Treaty without delay and the deposit of the ratifications.

Referring to the sinkings at Scapa Flow, the note sharply repudiates the German declaration that the destruction in no-wise constituted a violation of Germany’s obligations, and that the blame for the destruction lay with the Allies themselves. The Council declares it consider: this nothing hut a dpsplicab’.e attempt to wilfully delay the en- 1 forcemeat of the Treaty and the definite restoration of peace. In view of the circumstances, the Allies consider the Germans cannot repudiate responsibility or seek in arbitration a solution for acts of war, the settlement of which belongs to the Allies,

M CrjEMENCEAU VISITS LONDON. PARIS, December 9. M. Clemencean has gone to London to consult the British Cabinet in reference to important political and oconomic questions.

THE ALLIED DEMANDS. BERLIN, Dec. 9. The Allies new demands on Germany have produced high political tension. The newspapers are filled with gloomy fore bodings. A mysterious fire partially destroyed the British Embassy- at Berlin, which temporarily was occupied by the Dutch Minister. The incident is unpleasantly associated with the prevailing anti-British, feeling in Germany. LONDON, Dec. 7. Mr Ward Price, as the result of inquiries in Germany writes that he believes that the international crisis is seyere. Herr Noske, Germany’s strong man and most influential politician, has advocated defiance. He said:—“You can occupy the country-, and do your worst, the limit has been passed. Britain’s deceit and trickery- lias become unbearable. If you had not the Scapa sinkings as an excuse, you would invent another. You demand our last dredges and cranes. That is in order to prevent a rebuilding of the mercantile fleet.” | PARIS, Dec. 7. 1 The newspapers agree that the new j Allied Note to Germany purposely does [ not adopt the ordinary- ultimatum form . j with a time limit. This is in order not ; to leave room for any- coiltroversy. It > is argued that if Germany does hot 5 comply, the Allies will denounce the . armistice. “Le Petit Journal” says that military penalties are prepared which give the Allies complete liberty of action, and will ultimately- compel Germany to r accept a harder peace still if the new _ terms are resisted. l- America-seems to be out of the latest e move. Foch is said to have made preir parations for military action, t. PARIS, Dec. 9. ie Senator Polk and the U.S. Peaee i- Delegation have sailed for New York. ie The U.S. Ambassador, Mr Wallace,a- is now to represent the United States is at the Peace Conference,

GERMANY’S COLONIES. BERLIN, December 9,

Dr Schultz, ex-Governor of Samoa, in a lecture refuted the accusations against the German' colonial administration of the South Seas, which, he said, the 'Entente bad used as a cloak for the annexation of the German Protectorates.

German doctors had rendered extraordinary service in fighting epidemics and many tribes which were dying out were saved as the result of their efforts while in Samoa there had even been an increase in the population. The English and French had done nothing comparable to this. He instanced that a fourth of the Samoans had died during the influenza epidemic.