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SPA MEETING POSTPONED

The Premiers’ Decision REPARATIONS TO BE FIXED [(By Telegraph.— Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 13. Mr Lloyd George and M. Millerand today agreed to the postponement of the Spa Conference till after the German general elections. The date June 21 was provisionally suggested. It was agreed that the Versailles Treaty ba maintained in full force, particularly the disarmament clauses whose enforcement should not be postponed until after the Spa meeting. In other words’ the question of disarmament will not be discussed at Spa, As regards reparations M. Millerand provisionally assented to fixing a definite sum, subject to certain conditions, one of which is that France shall receive payment on account and that the German financial experts will be consulted later. Semi-official disclosures from Hythc state that Mr Lloyd George demurred to M. Millerand’s claim that payment for reparation of France’s devastated areas should receive priority out of the instalments of Germany’s indemnity. A mutually satisfactory compromise was arranged whereby France’s repayment of British loans shall extend over the same period as Germany’s payment of reparations. The previous arrangement stands whereby Belgium received the first £100,000,000 of Germany’s indemnity, France taking 55 per cent, of the subsequent payments, Britain 25 per cent., and the other Allied Powers 20 per cent. AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT. MINIMUM REPARATION TO BE FIXED. METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION. (Imperial News Service.) LONDON, May 10. (Received May 17, 7.20 p.m.) The Hythe Conference has concluded. The official statemenr, says that the French and British Governments recognise on the one hand that it is to the general interest that reparation for losses and damage due to the war should be secured as soon as possible. With this object in view Germany’s resources should be put in a position to regain financial autonomy by speedy fulfilment of her obligations. The Governments therefore express the opinion that in order to solve the economic difficulties gravely weighing upon the ■world and definitely mark the beginning of the era of peace, it is important to reach a settlement which will reach the whole body of international liabilities, loft as a legacy of the war, mid which at the same time will insure the parallel liquidation of the inter-Allied war debt and reparation of the debts of the Central Empires. Accordingly the experts will be charged firstly to prepare immediately for examination for their two Governments proposals fixing a minimum total for the German debt which will be capable of acceptance by the Allies, and at the same time will be compatible with Germany's capacity to pay; secondly, to determine the methods of payment and capitalisation of the German debt which will be best calculated to assure the realisation of the general views expressed above: thodly, to establish conditions for division between the Allies of the payment by Germany in accordance with the agreements which certain of the Allies have already reached, and which remain to be definitely settled in the case of Other Allies.

GERMAN' INTENTIONS. DEMAND FOR UPPER SILESIA. VARIOUS CONCESSIONS WANTED. PARIS, May 16. It is stated that the German delegates to the Spa Conference will claim Upper Silesia {or Germany regardless of the result of the plebiscite, restoration of a portion of the German commercial fleet, restoration of the colonies, reduction in the cost of the armies of occupation, supplies of raw material from the Allies with a view to reconstructing industry anti permission to establish an army of two hundred thousand men. They also aim at the longest possible postponement of the first payment of the indemnity. They will probably give an undertaking that Germany will restore houses in the devastated regions of France, using German money and labour. FRANCE'S INDEMNITY. GERMAN PRESS RIDICULE. BERLIN. May 16. Financial circles describe as fantastically exorbitant the £5,000,000,000 to £IO,OOO, •00,000 mentioned by Paris newspapers as Ithe indemnity France will demand. THE TURKISH TREATY. SENSATION AT CONSTANTINOPLE. CONSTANTINOPLE, May 16. The details of the Peace Treaty caused a sensation amongst the- Turks, who received them with mingled indignation and depression. Tewfik Pasha, president of the peace delegation, telegraphed the Grand Vizier to •he effect that the treaty was absolutely incompatible with tho independence and aspirations of the Government. The Turkish fress comments similarly. It is pointed out, inter alia, that the loss of Smyrna will injure Turkey without being of advantage to the Greeks, while the Chatalja frontier will provoke endless racial hostility. The Government will resign if modifications are not obtained. Whether the Sultan will find a Ministry is doubtful. If reinstated it will prove more unyielding unless convinced that the Allies are ready to use force freely. STATEMENT TO MOSLEM INDIA. THE VICEROY’S MESSAGE. DELHI. May 14. The Viceroy, in a message to Moslem India, regarding the Turkish Peace Treaty, ■tares that the decision of the Supreme Council in respect to peace with Turkey was reached after careful and anxious consideration with representative Moslems of all countries. The Government is issuing with a summary of the terms a statement explaining the principles of tho decision and the reasons for them. After thanking the Moslems for their war service, he states that although the terms are in full accordance with the high principles applied to the pease settlement with other enemies they include terms which he fears must be painful to Moslems. He concludes by saying that he is confident the n(fw treaty will quickly result in the renewal of friendship between Turkey and Britain, and Turkey regenerated, full of hope and strength, will stand forth as in the past the pillar of the Islamic faith. THE HUNGARIAN TERMS. APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES. BUDAPEST, May 16. A hundred thousand demonstrators protested against the peace terms and sent an appeal to the United States asking for the moral support of George Washington's people. It is expected that the Hungarian Government will resign to-morrow and that a coalition will probably be formed.

THE POLISH OFFENSIVE. LEAQUE UNION’S DISAPPROVAL. CORRESPONDENCE PUBLISHED, LONDON, May 15. The League of Nations Union publishes correspondence between Lord Robert Cecil and Lord Curzon on the subject of the Polish advance. Lord Robert Cecil, writing on May 3, strongly condemns the Polish offensive and hopes the British Government will immediately summon the Council of the League of Nations to deal with the situation. Lord Curzon replied on May 12. He denied that Poland had been prepared to attack Russia for months past. He declared that the Poles’ endeavours to open negotiations were genuine and were only abandoned when the Poles learned that the Bolsheviks were concentrating opposite their front and possessed large supplies of guna and materials captured from Denikin. Lord Curzon says it is impossible to invoke the intervention of the League of Nations to check the offensive in an unfinished war. The League of Nations would be in a difficult position if it attempted to inedi ate between Poland and the Russian Government, which docs not recognise the League’s authority. Lord Curzon disagreed with Lord Robert Cecil’s view that Esthonia and Latvia are hostile to Poland. Lord Robert Cecil replied on May 13, dwelling on the disease, starvation and misery of Eastern Europe, and honing that even now steps would be taken to retrieve the position.

BOLSHEVIK TRAIL AT KIEFF. A DESOLATED CITY. WARSAW. May 16. Kieff shows melancholy signs of Bolshevik occupation. It is a dead city. The factories are silent and decaying, the shops shut and smashed, and the University deserted. The station is wrecked and everywhere is filth and disorder. The Bolsheviks left many wounded shot down, by their own machine-guns. The Polish advance on the Dnieper was strongly resisted at only two points, where a Chinese regiment held the position to the last man. At the second several armoured cars manned by Germans fought their way through after being cut off. The Russian regiments broke under the first shock and surrendered when out-manoeuvred. JAPAN AND SIBERIAA POLICY PROCLAMATION. WASHINGTON, May 14. According to Japanese advices the general of the Japanese and the commander at Vladivostok have issued a proclamation that Japan will not tolerate in any country close to Japan any political organisation designed to interfere with world peace, and designates the establishment of a neutral zone around China where Japan will not interfere. The proclamation further states that Japan has territorial ambitions in Siberia and would welcome the establishment of popular government there. A POLISH LOAN. ISSUE IN AMERICA. WASHINGTON, May 17. (Received May 17, 8.40 p.m.,) The Polish Minister will launch a campaign to float a 50,000,000 dollar loan for the Polish Government in the United States, the proceeds of which will be utilised for the purchase of machinery and raw materials. THE NEUTRAL ZONE. EVACUATION OF FRANKFORT. FRENCH PRECAUTIONS. (Reuter’s Telegrams.) BERLIN, May 17. (Received May IS, 1.15 a.m.) With a view of preventing a repetition of untoward incidents on the occasion of the evacuation of Frankfort, the French demanded a number of hostages, and also a, guarantee of 1,000,000 marks. BERNE, May 17. The League of Nations voting was 407,910, against 325.510. COMMUNISM IN GERMANY. WIDESPREAD STRIKES. BERLIN, May 16. The Communist movement continues rampant. Fifty thousand bank officials are striking throughout Germany and probably all the hanks will be closed to-morrow. Armed workers have taken possession of the Sanger Hansen proclaiming a Communist Government, levying 300,000 marks from the post office and 2000 from the banks. Strikes are still hampering the city’s industry. The riverside dockers are out. The papers are not publishing owing to a strike. News sellers and barbers are also striking. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. SWISS MEMBERSHIP. BERNE, May 16. The Swiss referendum, by a small majority, favoured joining the League of Nations.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19200518.2.30

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Issue 18824, 18 May 1920, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,614

SPA MEETING POSTPONED Southland Times, Issue 18824, 18 May 1920, Page 5

SPA MEETING POSTPONED Southland Times, Issue 18824, 18 May 1920, Page 5

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