PEACE TREATY.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1920, Page 2

PEACE TREATY.

(By Electric Telegraph—Co > aright, »• (Australian <fc N.Z. Cable Associations

AUSTRIAN NEGOTIATIONS. PARIS, Jan. 5. A circumstantial account of Austria’s negotiations for a separate peace inf 1917 states that the Empress Zita, when in Switzerland, gave her brother Sixte a note from Karl soliciting his aid to secure peace. Sixte said that peace was unobtainable without the restoration of Alsace and Lorraine to France, the cession of Constantinople to Russia, and Albania to Serbia. Sixte , oh March sth, 1917, handed to President Poineaire Karl’s Note declaring that he was a strong supporter of France, adding: “We are absolutely not in Germany’s hands, and only want to maintain our present frontiers.” Sixte later visited Austria and Karl said that if he could not induce Germany to make a just peace Ire would make a separate peace rather than sacrifice the Empire to Germany’s madness. Sixte had many interviews in France, including ones with President Poincaire, M. Rabot and Mr Lloyd George. He went to England and eaw Mr Lloyd George, who took him to see the King. The overtures failed because the Entente were unable to arrange terms satisfactory to Italy, which insisted on receiving the Tyrol, though, according to Karl, Cadorna had sent an emissary to Berne offering a separate peace on the one condition that Italy should receive the Italian rjprtion of Trentino. Cadorna denies the story of the Berne mission as a pure invention. Italian newspapers suggest that the storv was circulated during the negotiaLions in order to sow dissension between Italv and other Entente people; by blaming Italy for failure in the ne gotiations.

SIGNING OF PEACE. LONDON, Jan. 6. The “Daily Express” states: —The path to peace is cleared. The final details are being now arranged and the Peace Treaty conies into force on Saturday, January 10. PARIS, Jan, 6. The paper “Lc Matin” states that the Peace Protocol will be signed on Saturday aftrnoon, Together with it there will be signed a statement dealing with the reparation for the Scapa Flow scuttlinga. Diplomatic relations between Gerr many and the Allies wifi be resumed after thp exchange of the ratifications. The Supreme Allied Council has de ; eided that Germany' need hand over to the Allies only 273,000 tons of harbour material, instead of three hundrec} thousand tons, in reparation for the Scapa scuttlinga*

LONDON, Jan'. 6. Mr Lloyd George yesterday met Signor Nitti (Italian Foreign minister) at Charing Cross, To-day they will meet and dispuss the peace settlement. The Fiume inci: dent will be gone into, and also Italy’s present serious financial situation. The possible giving or the mandate over Constantinople to Italy will be con, sidpred, and ajso a proposal for compensating Italy with new African terjU, tory on account of the German colonics there going to Britain and Prance. This compensation will probably take the form of an extension of the Italian sphere in Libya, in addition to Italian gains in Somaliland.