FLAT REFUSAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10295, 2 June 1919, Page 5

FLAT REFUSAL

TO SIGN PEACE TREATY ALLIES WILL INSIST UPON SIGNATURE. EITHER AT VERSAILLES OR BERLIN. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received June 1, ILS p.u».) LONDON. May 30. The German Foreign Office has categorically declined to sign the Peace terms. Count Rantzau. addressing several departing colleagues at Versailles, dedared-; “Tell Berlin 1 trill never sign the Palace preliminaries unless they are seriously modified. So, 1 ' 100 '?, 0 0 may sign, I won’t.” Possibly Erzbergcr will replace Rantzau. MR LLOYD .GEORGE GIVES A warning. Australian and N.Z. liable Association. PARIS, May 30. Mr Lloyd George, recently, addressing a Welsh division at Amiens, said: “The Germans had been reckoning on this war for years, even counting the spikes per yard of barbed-wire. “Wo are bound, in order to prevent a recurrence, to make the terms severe. We must carry out the edict ot Providence and seo that the people inflicting these horrors are never in a position to do so again. “The Germans, their newspapers, and their politicians say they will not sign. “We say: You must. If not in Versailles, then you will sign in Berlin. “The world’s future depends on this Peace being imposed. If necessary, you soldiers will inarch to Berlin, though your leave bo cancelled and your return delayed.” GERMAN DELEGATION RETURNS) TO VERSAILLES. PARIS, May lb. Count Rantzau and the entire German delegation have returned. ALLEGED STORMY MEETING AT SPA. (Received June I,' 5.5 p.m./ PARIS, May 30. It is rumoured among the German delegates that the meeting between Rantzau and the Berlin emissaries al '■ Spa. was stormy and that it is unlikely Rantzau will return to Versailles. Herr Scheidemann may replace him. A meeting of the Grand Counoil at Berlin advocated an papeal to international democracy and an alliance with the Russian Bolsheviks. The generals present protested that the remedy was worse than the disease. The opinion prevailed that armed resistance was impossible. Rantzau and Scheidemann were unable to influence the Allies, therefore acceptance was inevitable. UNPUBLISHED CLAUSE OF PEACE TREATY. BECOMES OPERATIVE WHEN THREE ALLIES SIGN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK; May IS. • The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that, according fo information received from Senatorial circles, the Peace Treaty contains a clause not included in the summary cabled from Paris. The clause makes the Treaty operative when signed by three of the principal Governments and Germany. LEAGUE OF~NATIONS. GERMANY WANTS TO JOIN, Australian and N.Z. Cable Associatibn. PARIS, May 18. Germany is willing to agree to t3io destruction of her military power if she is allowed to enter the League of Nations on equal terms, according to the statement of the German counterproposals. DECISION REGARDING TURKEY BIG FOUR CONSIDERS TWO SCHEMES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, May IS “1.0 Temps” denies that the Conference has actually decided to divide Turkey into several zones. The Big Four, however, have considered two proposals—first, the United States receiving a mandate over Constantinople and Armenia; second, Greece taking the coastal region, having Smyrna as the principal centre. FURTHER. PROPOSALS. PARIS, May 18. Regarding the division of Turkey, “I/e Temps” says that the third proposal is that Italy should admintistei Southern Anatolia, and the fourtjh is that Northern Anatolia, including. Broussa and Angora, should form a State whose independence Franco should undertake to safeguard. ITALY DISSATISFIED. ROME. May 18. Considerable newspaper agitation follows the news that a Greek division has been authorised to occupv Smyrna. It is pointed out that two-thirds of the trade of Trieste was with Smyrna. Italy’s claims to Smyrna were apparently not recognised. Although the newspapers advise calmness, they forcibly protest against Italy’s claim before the Paris Conference being sacrificed to the profit either of the Jugo-Slavs or the Greeks THE “BIG FOUR ” AND RUSSIA CBeceivod June 1. 5,5 p.m.) PARIS. May 26. The “Big Four” are willing to re cognise any non-Soviet Russian Government, which agrees to convene a National Convention and respect the new and independent border States.