EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17688, 28 July 1919, Page 5

EUROPEAN SITUATION.

PEACE TREATY BILL. SPEECH BY MR LLOYD GEORGE. BILL PASSED BY HOUSE OF COMMONS. Prate Associatiott—By Telegraph— Copyright. LONDON, July 21. In the House of Commons, replying to the debate on the second reading of the Treaty of Peace, Mr Lloyd George said that, in his opinion, the Government and the Peace Conference had every reason to be gratified at the nature of the debate, as in the main the House had accepted the Treaty, and he believed that public opinion concurred. He went on to say that the discussion also covered the treaty entered into between France, America, and Britain. It had been asked why this treaty was necessary. It was no proof of a -want of confidence on the part of the French people. We must remember the natural anxiety and nervousness of Franco in face of a terrible menace. The League of Nations must necessarily be treated as a great experiment. France naturally said she believed in. the. experiment, and. would do her best to carry it out; but she would like to feel behind her the might and power of the British Empire and the United States, in order that the League may have a botter chance of establishing itself as a permanent organisation. The criticism of the Treaty of Peace itself had been mutually destructive. Some criticised it because we had gone too far in exacting indemnities; others said we had not gone far enough. In regard to reparation, Britain had got substantial compensation for the whole of the shipping sunk, for the lives lost thereby, and the injury sustained by as well as for all damage in respect to the air raids, which was very considerable. Moreover, compensation had to be paid in respect to all pensions and allowances, which would bo a very considerable annual charge on taxes. If Great Britain received rfrom Germany payment of these sums it would be a very considerable relief. He asked : Was there the remotest chance of exacting all the costs of the war? The total cost of the war for the whole of the Allies was 30,000 million sterling. The question of what Germany must pay was examined by the most able Allied experts, who had endeavoured to exact the uttermost farthing possible to obtain from Germany, and it was beyond doubt that they had done so.—A. and N Z Cable and Renter. ' '

THE IRISH PROBLEM. ADVICE TO MALCONTENTS. LONDON, July 21. In replying to Mr Devlin's appeal to apply President Wilson's and general bmutss principles to Ireland, Mr Llovd George asked if Mr Devlin would apply the principles to the whole of Ireland The real difficulty was that Mr Devlin's "countrymen were not satisfied to get selfdetermination themselves without depriving others of selMetermination. Continuing, he pointed out that he had en i VOU , red t tO T a PP J y President -WiWs pnncples to Ireland- by constituting an Irish convention, which would brine the ssasgss created. ffi SIS The i*eace Bill waa ««« ?assed

REPARATION COMMITTEE. REPRESENTAITOJToF AMERICA. ' m. •, ¥ m YOEE: > Jn] y 21. (Becaved Juty 27, ats.sp.nl) The W York Tunes states that President Wilson has addressed a letter to Senator Lodge asking the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate to appoint an American member of the Reparations Committee provided by the Peace Treaty President Wilson pointed out that an American representative on the committee was necessary in order to carry on imperative wort. A body of Republican Senators -will oppose such an appointment, saying that it would be unconstitutional until the Senateapproves of the Treaty.—A. and NZ Cable.