PEACE MOVEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 18 August 1917, Page 5

PEACE MOVEMENT.

POPE'S HOPES. ROME, August Id. The Pope’s diplomatic advisers and famous professors assisted to prepare th e Peace Note. Correspondents state that the Pope does not expect peace, but believes the Note will have an important effect on negotiations, which he anticipates will be made shortly. The Note was completed before the Russian debacle in Galicia. FRENCH PRESS OPINION. THE POPE CHARGED WITH BEING PRO-GERMAN. PARIS, Aug. 16. ‘ ‘ Gaulois ” declares that the Stockholm Conference and the Papal proposals are simultaneous German peace offensives on the flanks. The “Matin” charges the Pope with becoming the mouthpiece of the Central Empires. A SIGNIFICANT SIMILARITY. • PARIS, August 16... The “Petit Parisien” says that the Papal Note states that the Austrian issues are so exactly alike that they must have been suggested by the Emperor Charles. BRITISH POLITICS PACIFICIST LABOURS THE POPE'S PROPOSALS. LLOYD GEORGE’S REPLY. Received 8.45 LONDON, August 17 In the House of Commons, discusing a motion for the adjournment of the House, Mr Ramsay Macdonald drew attention to Kerensky’s views of the Stockholm Conference, notably the Daily News’ interview, in which he said the Government had been misrepresenting his views. When men of international interests conferred he found little remained worth fighting about, and peace would soon come. Mr. Bonar Law denied that the House of Commons had been misinformed. Mr Lloyd George was so struck with Kerensky’s spontaneous telegram that he asked Mr Henderson to disclose it, pointing out that the Conference was a party concern and its decision was not binding on the Russian Government. Mr Bonar Law added the Government’s attitude re passports was unchanged. Mr Snowdon contended that Kerensky did not oppose the Conference, therefore Government’s attitude was inconsistent with Kerensky’s view that no obstacle should be put in the way. He moved an amendment that owfing to the critical outlook they should reduce the -period of recess. This was negatived. Mr Bonar Law announced that in the event of a crisis occurring in the recess, Parliament would immediately be re-assembled. It is considered in the lobbies that Mr Lloyd George’s speech would tend to consolidate the political situation. It was the best answer to the Pope’s Note, amT would strike a blow at pacifist propaganda that was making headway in Britain during the past fortnight. The Labour Party Executive will submit a resolution to the Conference when it re-assembles on Tuesday, reiterating the desirability of the party participating aU Stockholm, and regretting the refusal of passports and recommending representations be made to the Government thereanent. . BRITISH ELECTION. 1 LONDON, August. 16. In the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar Law hinted at the possibility of an election before the Representation Bill is passed.

THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN OFFENSIVE BY TURKS. LONDON, August 16. The Turks, with Several thousand .Kurds, made an offensive on Tuesday, in the direction of Kharput, but were repulsed everywhere except in the region of Mount Halbusdar. roi/mania, ROUMANIANS AGAIN WITHDRAW. LONDON, August 16. ..Wireless Russian official. — The Roumanians, for strategical reasons, withdrew towards Soveja, taking up a new line. They repulsed attacks in the Smchitza Valley. The Germans have renewed their offensive in the direction of Focsani. The Russia-Roumanians retired to the north-eastward. GERMAN SUCCESSES. LONDON, August 16. German official. —Northward of Straoani Pauciu, Russo-Eoumanian attacks failed. Me dislodged the enemy from the west bank of the Sereth, prisouering 3554 and taking sixteen guns.

BRITISH PRISONERS IN TURKEY. LONDON, August 16. Lord Derby informed a deputation of Parliamentarians that Turkey is prepared to participate in a conference in Switzerland concerning the treatment of British prisoners, STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE. STATEMENT BY KERENSKY. ALLIES PLAYING INTO GERMANY ’S HANDS. LONDON, August 16. Daily News’ Petrograd correspondent said a wrong deduction been drawn from the Russian telegram to London regarding the Stockholm Conference. He explained that as the Conference was a party matter, Russia’s coalition Government could not be bound thereby. It neither favoured nor disapproved. He personally thought the Allied Government’s opposition was playing into Germany’s hands. SPANISH AFFAIRS. RIOTS IN SPAIN. RESULT OF GERMAN INTRIGUE Received 8.45 MADRID, August 17. There are evidences that Gorman intrigues are stimulating the internal uprising. The first victim of the miners demonstrations, Miranda, is a foreigner and believed to be a German agent. Artillery was used against the rioters in some towns. BRITAIN’S STRONG POSITION. LONDON, August 15. In the House of Commons, Mr Lloyd George mad ean important statement regarding several aspect* of the war. He declared that th food position had ben considerably improved. In August last there was a stock of 6J million quarters of wheat. The country now had S’, million quarters. Oats and barley stocks were also higher. There had been considerably saving in bread consumption, while the acrage under cul-

i tivation had increased by a million. If ! the harvest was good, as it promised, then the eonditioo of the country’s food supplies, taking everything into account, would be very satisfactory. He still urged the need for economy, because the more we economised the less we would need from Canada and the United States, from which France and Italy also drew their, supplies. v Mr Lloyd George said the reserves of sugar had been increased.